Croatia vs. Panama live: Toronto Stadium crowd on edge as fans await first goal; Steve Nash delivers message to Canada

No matter where your international soccer allegiances lie, here’s where you can catch the matches around the Toronto area, regardless of where in the world they’re being held. 

For those looking to enjoy the action from the comfort of their own home, Bell Media owns the exclusive Canadian broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This means the matches, yes, all 104 of them, will only be shown on TSN and RDS in Canada, with select games available on CTV, Noovo and streaming through Crave.

Supporters of Panama and Croatia can gather ahead of the game at Toronto Stadium which kicks off at 7 p.m., June 23.

A fan gathering for those cheering on Panama starts at 2 p.m. in Trinity Bellwoods Park, hosted by the Embassy of Panama and various Panamanian organizations. Supporters are encouraged to bring their jerseys, flags and drums for the fan march down to Toronto Stadium.

The FIFA Fan Festival will also feature a lineup of Panamanian musicians on the main stage at 6 p.m. ahead of the game. 

Fans of all ages can watch live broadcasts of the matches on large screens and enjoy music, art, food and “unforgettable vibes” at the two festival venues in downtown Toronto.

For all Canada supporters, GE Appliances Canada Soccer House Toronto at Harbourfront Centre is the fan home for Soccer Canada. Large screens featuring the matches, live DJs, food, entertainment, retail pop-ups and more will keep fans busy. 

The free event, which invites fans to create a sea of red-and-white jerseys, “will blend the energy of a watch party, street festival, and national celebration.” The event will be held on select days between June 11 and July 2.

Toronto’s historic Distillery District will have more than 50 screens throughout its 13-acre site for viewing the matches, including a 140-inch outdoor screen on its Pure Spirit Patio for all matches airing before 10 p.m.

Fans can order from a “World of Flavours” and drinks including cold beer on tap and specialty cocktails.

El Catrin, the distillery-based restaurant and bar that has Canada’s largest tequila and mescal collection, will be showing the matches on four 75-inch screens on its outdoor patio and a large projection screen indoors.

Madrina Bar y Tapas’ patio will also have two 75-inch screens, while Mill Street Beer Hall will have over 40 TVs airing the matches, and Spirit of York will also show the games. 

The city announced two days before the World Cup kicks off that Nathan Phillips Square would indeed be screening certain soccer games.

There will also other activations, activities and fun to join in on.

St. George Campus, King’s College Circle

U of T will host watch parties for three Team Canada games at its downtown Front Campus, calling all students, faculty, staff and community members to tune in together. As well as screening the first game on June 12 when Canada faces Bosnia and Herzegovina, the university will also screen Team Canada’s matches against Qatar and Switzerland on June 18 and June 24. 

A water truck will be on hand and people are encouraged to bring refillable bottles.

George Brown’s waterfront campus is partnering with Pride House International to host Pride House Toronto during the World Cup. The school “will open its doors to 2SLGBTQI+ fans, allies, and soccer supporters from all backgrounds, providing a safe, inclusive, and community-focused environment to watch every World Cup match,” according to a news release.

There will be match-day viewing parties and “daytime programs in collaboration with local groups to celebrate Toronto’s vibrant soccer culture and diverse communities.” The space will be open to all ages, with food and drinks available for purchase. Seating will be first come, first served.

The venue will open on June 11 and will run through July 19, including on days with Toronto-hosted matches. 

For six select matches starting July 2, fans can catch a match inside the 19th-century brick factory that has become a green community hub. While most matches will be screened indoors, the World Cup final will be shown in the Pavilions, a 25,000-square-foot covered outdoor space.

Free shuttle buses will run every 30 to 45 minutes from Broadview Station to help fans get to the heritage site. Arrive early to grab some food from on-site vendors, listen to the live DJ or show off your footwork with soccer skill demos.

Launching on June 11 in the STACKT Market, sporting goods company Adidas will launch its “Brand Hub” that will feature an outdoor viewing area for Toronto soccer fans to gather and watch the marquee event.

Through to July 19, up to 1,200 fans can gather for free each day within the STACKT market to view the World Cup on a “massive” screen, enjoy food and beverages, put their footy skills to use while testing Adidas shoes at a soccer activation site and more.

Alongside Levi’s, Ace Hotel Toronto is presenting live screenings of nine World Cup matches in the hotel’s Interspace. The event is free to attend with RSVP, and a limited number of gifts from the Levi’s team will also be available. The event starts on June 12, with Canada’s kickoff game.

The 39-foot screen in Toronto’s Real Sports Bar & Grill, operated by the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, means you won’t miss a second of intense FIFA matches. The sports bar, which was home to cheering Blue Jays fans in October, will open its doors to footy fans now to unleash their passion.

TKO’s Sports Bar & Restaurant told the Star it’s planning to offer tournament-themed food specials, and six TVs will be visible no matter where you’re sitting in the east-end establishment. There will also be surround sound, and its employees will be decorating the interior with posters, banners, and a set of FIFA World Cup mini-balls that celebrate each of the 16 host cities. 

Despite being identified elsewhere online in the past as a haven for Danish fans, the establishment says it’s “definitely not (just) a Denmark bar” and in fact welcomes fans of all the countries participating. 

Advertised as a “quintessential British restaurant and bar experience,” Elephant & Castle is naturally the place to catch English soccer during the World Cup. However, the bar will be showing all World Cup games — with sound — on their 20 TV screens and their giant projector. Fans of all allegiances are welcome to claim their spot during the games.

Jamieson Kerr of The Queen & Beaver said his pub has been “extremely busy” in preparation for the World Cup, and that they plan to be showing every game during the summer. While Canada and England are the heavy favourites, The Queen and Beaver’s visitors have a “strong following” for Scotland, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Germany and Argentina. If any of those are your teams, this may be your spot.

The Town Crier Pub’s owner Atef Girgis said they would be cheering for Canada (“of course,” he said), but Germany, Belgium, England and Holland are also on the board. After that, the pub will be a place to root for the underdogs.

It’s no surprise that Little Portugal will be the spot for fans to cheer on their country and its Portuguese-speaking diaspora, with plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from along the strip of College Street and Dundas Street West between Lansdowne and Ossington avenues. Authentic sports bar Amigos da Dundas and Nossa Casa Sports Cafe are both recommended as top locations.

Though there’s yet to be a dedicated area for Brazilian fans to formally gather at, there are plenty of events on this list for supporters of the most winningest team to cheer on their squad. One event is the Brazil Fest at Earlscourt Park which lines up perfectly with the final weekend of the tournament on July 18 and 19 and is a surefire way to send off the World Cup.

Since Italy is out of the World Cup, Café Diplomatico will be diplomatic about who they’re cheering for this year. Canada fans are welcome, alongside supporters from just about every other team, as the restaurant plans to air the games on its screens. 

It’s right there in the name, as far as who this bar is cheering for: the men in orange from the Netherlands. Dutch fans frequently flock to Amsterdam Brewhouse knowing they can enjoy waterfront views while they watch their beloved side. Plus, for this World Cup, the venue isn’t all that far away from the stadium and Liberty Village.

142 Cumberland St., hemingways.to

This popular pub in the heart of Yorkville has long been a gathering place for sports fans from Oceania, and this World Cup will be no different, especially with both Australia and New Zealand having qualified for the tournament. However, Hemingway’s will be showing every World Cup match regardless of who’s playing. Fans can stick around afterward until 2 a.m., just like they can 365 days a year. 

The brewery and restaurant located inside the historic John Street Roundhouse is usually a spot for baseball fans because of its proximity to the home of the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. For the World Cup, Steam Whistle will be screening all the games in their taproom and kitchen spaces. The venue will also host larger watch parties for selected games throughout the tournament, including all of Canada’s games and the matches at Toronto Stadium.

From June 1 to July 19 in Canada, the Canada Celebrates tour will travel from coast-to-coast, to “bring football fans together for live match viewings, football-themed activations, cultural programming, music, food, and moments of national pride.”

“The programme will bring FIFA World Cup energy to 38 stops across 34 communities within a two-hour drive of more than 75 per cent of Canadian residents,” FIFA said.

On Canada Day, the one-day event will stop in downtown Mississauga, bringing fans together.

“Bringing the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to our downtown will only help ignite the passion and growing popularity of soccer,” deputy mayor John Kovac said. “We look forward to seeing the activation on Canada Day and taking part in the planned festivities as we wear our red and white with Canadian pride.”

The next GTA-area stop is in Vaughan on July 15. The city is inviting residents to “kick it” at 80 Interchange Way as the final match will be just days away.

The final stop of the Canada Celebrates tour will be in Brampton, on July 18 and 19. Details of the events will be shared in the coming weeks.

The city said closing the tour marks “a major moment in the city’s soccer story.”

The school in the city’s west end will be hosting free outdoor “Match Day Hub” watch parties at its Lakeshore campus. From July 1-19, the college will show 20 matches. There will be 100 hours of programming, including the matches and soccer‑themed films. There will also be globally inspired food, live music, DJ sets, and cultural collaborations.

The events, which will be organized by Humber students, will also include soccer minigames and backyard-style competitions, according to the school. 

The Yonge North York BIA is hosting a Soccer City Celebration on June 20 starting at 1 p.m. at Mel Lastman Square for a “full day of free family fun, live entertainment, cultural performances,” and more.

The first game that Saturday is between Netherlands and Sweden at 1 p.m., then Germany and Ivory Coast at 4 p.m., which the BIA will host a watch party for, and lastly Ecuador and Curaçao at 8 p.m.

A “Soccer Fest” will be hosted at Columbus Centre, the community hub in North York, from June 11 to July 19.

Highlights of the event include a Team Canada kickoff watch day on June 12, for their debut match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup, a celebration of Italy’s World Cup legacy with champion Antonio Cabrini and a Canada Day celebration with multiple match screenings, games and complimentary popcorn.

A full list of what matches will be screened and which events are planned at the free festival is available here.

“The City has a strong tradition of hosting public viewing events for major international tournaments, transforming the square into a vibrant space filled with fans, flags, and cheering,” said in a 2025 release gearing up for the World Cup, then a year away.

The city has confirmed it will screen at least 63 select matches from June 11 to July 19 at Mississauga Celebration Square at 300 City Centre Drive, with the exception of Canada Day games being shown in the Square One parking lot. 

The Town of Ajax will hold a kickoff event at the Ajax Fairgrounds, in the Audley Recreation Centre at 1955 Audley Rd. N., from 2-7 p.m. on June 12. The fun will include entertainment, food vendors and opportunities to “bring the energy” for the start of the tournament.

The town will also participate in a “Made in Ajax” passport program, encouraging visitors to explore local restaurants and businesses while the World Cup is on. There will also be events at Pat Bayly Square, 55 Bayly St. W., on select days, including June 18 and 24.

The City of Pickering is partnering with Pickering FC to host four watch parties in support of the Canadian team. Attendees can enjoy free refreshments, games, prizes and “a fun, high-energy community vibe.”

Fans are encouraged to don red and white when attending the 3 p.m. matches on June 12, June 24 and July 19, hosted inside the lobby of the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex at 1867 Valley Farm Road. The 6 p.m. match on June 18 will be hosted inside the Pickering Soccer Centre at 1975 Clements Road.

The Town of Whitby, in partnership with Whitby FC, will host public viewing parties for two of Canada’s group-stage matches. Fans can gather at Civic Park, beside Whitby Town Hall at 575 Rossland Road, to watch the Canada opener on a giant outdoor inflatable screen from 2 to 6 p.m. on June 12.

A second viewing party will take place at the Whitby Soccer Dome at 695 Rossland Road for Canada’s group-stage game against Qatar on June 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket for the outdoor festivities.

Chuck’s locations in the York Region are ready to host watch parties too, with special deals so guests can “kick back, grab a cold one and enjoy every match without breaking the bank,” said Corey Deneire, marketing director for the restaurant chain’s parent company, Obsidian Group.

The City of Richmond Hill will host four outdoor watch parties during the tournament. There will be food and drink vendors on site, games, a live DJ, selfie corner and soccer demos and drills. Fans are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets for seating and arrive early to grab some free swag. 

Attendees are invited to Richmond Green Park at 1300 Elgin Mills Road East to watch the Canada opener on June 12 and the World Cup finals on July 19. For Canada group games against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24, the games will be screened at Dave Barrow Civic Square, at 1 Atkinson Street.