Last updated: 2026-06-19｜For real-time information, please refer to official announcements
On the first weekend of the World Cup kicking off in Canada, Toronto staged a very “Canadian” scene. On June 12, 2026, Canada’s men’s team took on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, ultimately drawing 1-1—this was the first World Cup draw in Canada’s history, and also the first time they earned a point at a World Cup. Bosnia’s Jovo Lukic opened the scoring with a header in the 21st minute, and Canada equalized through Cyle Larin in the 78th minute. Compared with four years ago in Qatar, when Alphonso Davies scored the team’s first-ever World Cup goal, this single point carried extraordinary significance for the Maple Leaf squad.
What truly blew up on social media, however, was not the score, but an episode at the Fan Fest after the match. According to Toronto media outlet NOW Toronto, after the match ended, a message from Ontario Premier Doug Ford played on the big screen at the Toronto FIFA Fan Fest, and the crowd immediately erupted in booing. To be clear: the one being booed was not “Ford watching the game in person,” but rather that clip of him played on the broadcast screen—and at that moment the fans of both teams, who had each been cheering for their own side during the match, were for a brief instant “united” by this chorus of boos.
This kind of reaction was not all that surprising. Ford has recently drawn plenty of criticism over issues such as the government’s procurement of a private jet and the Greenbelt development controversy, and he had previously been booed at public events too, including a Special Olympics event in Toronto and the Raptors’ championship parade—so this was just one more to the list. It is worth noting that he had actually kept a high profile in the World Cup preparations; the best-known example was his announcement that during the tournament from June 11 to July 19, bars and restaurants across Ontario could extend their alcohol-serving hours to 4 a.m., so that matches in different time zones would “have something to drink no matter what time they kick off” (in Ontario the last call on a regular day is usually 2 a.m.). Being able to extend serving by two hours yet getting booed at the Fan Fest—this subtle contrast probably says a lot about the blunt, straight-talking temperament of Canadian fans.
For friends planning to head to the official Fan Zones in Toronto or Vancouver to watch matches this summer, this scene is actually a pretty good reminder: a city-level FIFA Fan Festival is not just about watching the broadcast on a big screen—it is also an open space where all sorts of public expression can appear, with a lively atmosphere and direct voices. If you simply want to enjoy the match-watching vibe, leaving time for entry and security checks, taking public transit there, or simply picking a sports bar with a legal broadcast license are all good options. If you want details on transport and venues for watching matches in Toronto, you can refer to our Toronto Match-Watching Guide.
As for whether there will be any official response from Ford’s office or FIFA following this episode, there is no further news at the moment, and any developments are subject to official announcements.
Leave a Reply