When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour descended on Toronto in November 2024, the city witnessed what proper preparation looks like. Over six nights, approximately 500,000 attendees and accompanying visitors generated $282 million in total economic impact. Hotel occupancy jumped nearly 10 percentage points above the previous year, and short-term rental demand near Rogers Centre surged 245 per cent.
The businesses that prepared won big. Those that didn’t sat on the sidelines watching opportunity pass by.
With Toronto set to host six FIFA World Cup matches this June, Arman Poushin, commercial real estate and leasing associate at WeirFoulds LLP, sees history about to repeat itself—but on an even larger scale. According to Deloitte Canada, the tournament is expected to generate $940 million in economic output for the GTA and $3.8 billion nationally.
The difference between capitalizing on that opportunity and missing it entirely? Strategic lease planning that starts now.
When the World Watches: Toronto’s Track Record
Toronto has hosted major events before—the 2015 Pan Am Games, the Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run, and Taylor Swift in late 2024. What these events share is advance notice. The city knew they were coming. Businesses had time to prepare. Yet outcomes varied dramatically based on who took that preparation seriously.
“We saw what happened with Taylor Swift—we knew a year in advance, and then all of a sudden she was here and shut down the city,” Poushin recalls. “The folks who were prepared took advantage of it. The folks that didn’t were sitting on the sidelines.”
The Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run provided similar lessons. Bars and restaurants across Toronto scrambled to capitalize on postseason fever, with many hosting viewing parties and creating special promotions. However, multiple establishments received cease-and-desist letters for trademark violations—businesses that assumed adding team logos and promotional language to their signage and social media was harmless marketing.
The Pan Am Games in 2015 demonstrated the value of coordinated, city-wide planning. Businesses that worked with their landlords months in advance, secured proper permits, and coordinated with neighbouring establishments created memorable experiences that drove revenue. Those that waited until weeks before the games struggled with last-minute approvals and missed opportunities.
With FIFA’s reputation for even stricter intellectual property enforcement than Major League Baseball, similar challenges loom larger for World Cup 2026. The key difference this time: businesses still have five months to get it right.
The Three Critical Lease Provisions
Poushin identified three lease provisions that may catch Toronto businesses off guard during major events: permitted use clauses, signage restrictions, and outdoor space usage.
Many commercial leases restrict specific activities within a space. A bar that regularly shows sports may face no issues with match-day viewing, but larger events require careful review.
“A bar that casually shows sports on television probably won’t have issues with match-day viewing. But ticketed events, outdoor projection screens, or large-scale viewing parties may go beyond what the lease permits,” Poushin explains.
Signage presents another common challenge. During major events, businesses naturally want to capitalize with banners, flags, and themed decorations. However, most commercial leases give landlords control over these elements.
“Landlords typically want to hold some sort of control over what you can put up—even if it’s not nailing something to a wall. They don’t want you advertising something that may bring down the overall reputation of their plaza or shopping centre,” he says.
The World Cup timing—summer months with ideal patio weather—makes outdoor space usage particularly relevant. Even tenants with patio areas directly in front of their premises may discover they lack lease rights to actually use that space, and the City’s CaféTO programme adds another layer of requirements.
For mixed-use developments especially, operating hours create additional complications. “Leases often set specific opening and closing times and noise limits, and that doesn’t, unfortunately, automatically change just because Canada is playing.”
Check out The Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Toronto Community Activation Toolkit
The Five-Month Window: Why January Matters
With the first Toronto match scheduled for June 12, businesses face a critical planning window. Unlike the Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run—where the postseason schedule provided only weeks of notice—or even Taylor Swift’s announcement that gave businesses months to prepare, the World Cup timeline has been known for years. There’s no excuse for being caught unprepared.
Poushin emphasizes that conversations with landlords must begin immediately.
“We’re about six months away from kickoff, so the sooner the better. We’re going to want to try and get that conversation started now, by the end of January, as soon as possible,” he says. “Landlords need time for due diligence before providing consent. It’s not like Monday you submit a request for consent and by Wednesday you’re going to get that. They’re going to have to go through their timelines and check out what makes sense to them.”
The timeline becomes even tighter when considering FIFA licencing requirements. Larger events—outdoor gatherings, ticketed events, sponsored events, or those exceeding 1,000 attendees—require FIFA public viewing licences submitted at least 60 days in advance.
Getting Landlord Approval
When approaching landlords, documentation matters. Poushin recommends presenting comprehensive plans including specific dates and times, approximate headcount projections, floor plans and patio layouts, additional equipment details, and confirmation of municipal permit compliance.
“The more information you can provide the landlord, the better your chances of getting approval. You want to show that you’re taking the steps, that you’re serious, and you’re not trying to pull the wool over their eyes.”
All approvals should be documented in writing—whether through formal agreements, consent letters, or explicit emails.
“A prudent landlord would make their tenant enter into a contract—even if it’s just two, three, maybe five pages—where you’re outlining responsibilities, the landlord’s providing consent, and you’re explicitly setting out what you can and cannot do. If your landlord’s not going to do that, then my advice to tenants is get it in an email.”
For triple net leases, tenants should discuss how event-related operating expenses will be handled. Increased utilities, security, and waste removal costs will show up in reconciliation statements.
“Think of utilities—more foot traffic means utilities are going to go up. There’s potentially extra security with these big crowds and soccer fans, waste removal. Those will show up later in the reconciliation statements. For example, is your landlord planning on bringing in extra security? What may those costs look like? That will likely be charged back to you. It’s certainly worth an ask.”
Navigating FIFA’s Trademark Requirements
Beyond lease compliance, businesses must navigate FIFA’s strict intellectual property protections. FIFA’s enforcement extends globally and has historically been more aggressive than other major sports organisations—including Major League Baseball, which sent cease-and-desist letters to multiple Toronto establishments during the Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run.
“I think we all know that FIFA is probably one of the most powerful organisations in the world. The safe approach is to avoid any FIFA logos, emblems, mascots, and protected terms such as ‘FIFA World Cup 2026’ unless you have formal authorization. ‘Unofficial viewing party’ language won’t cure that kind of violation. Use generic soccer or ‘the big tournament’ phrasing instead,” Poushin advises.
This extends to all marketing materials, including social media. “We did see a number of bars in Toronto during the Blue Jays postseason run get into trouble. I suspect FIFA will be just as strict, if not stricter, than the Jays. And just a note—this will also apply to any social media posts or advertising.”
However, standard operations remain permissible. “If you are in fact just a regular bar or hotel simply showing these FIFA matches, that won’t be an issue. It’s if you charge admission or have event-specific sponsors that might cross some lines.”
Trademark violations can also trigger lease defaults, since most commercial leases require tenants to comply with all applicable laws and bylaws.
The Cost of Being Unprepared
While the economic opportunity is substantial, the cost of poor preparation extends beyond missed revenue. Businesses that violate lease terms, municipal bylaws, or FIFA’s intellectual property protections face significant consequences.
“It’s probably the single most important thing. Those who scramble last minute and perhaps are not prepared might get hit with some pretty hefty fines—both from FIFA and the city,” Poushin warns. “Going into this without a roadmap or plan or having spoken to somebody and getting the necessary consents and approvals is going to be quite detrimental. FIFA has a reputation for protecting their brand.”
The stakes extend to landlord-tenant relationships. “Businesses have a real great opportunity to join in on the fun and generate great revenue and great opportunities for the city, but without being prepared, they could get in a lot of trouble with FIFA, with the city, and that will unfortunately likely lead to getting in trouble with their landlord and perhaps being in default under the terms of the lease.”
His advice is straightforward: “It’s better to spend a little bit of money and time upfront now to review your lease and make sure you’re not offside on anything. A few dollars spent right now is a lot better than hefty fines at the end of the tournament.”
The Advantage of Advance Notice
Unlike surprise opportunities, Toronto businesses have known about FIFA World Cup 2026 for years. The city knew Pan Am was coming in 2015. Taylor Swift announced her Toronto dates well in advance of November 2024. Even the Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff appearances, while dependent on the season, follow a predictable calendar.
The pattern is clear: when Toronto hosts major events, businesses have advance notice. The question isn’t whether opportunities will arrive—it’s whether businesses will be ready when they do.
Toronto’s retail and hospitality sectors stand at the threshold of a $940 million economic opportunity. The businesses that will capture the largest share are already reviewing their leases, initiating landlord conversations, securing necessary approvals, and ensuring compliance with municipal and FIFA requirements.
Poushin recommends businesses treat the World Cup as a temporary but major operational shift requiring careful planning. “I strongly suggest, if it is a little daunting for a lot of businesses, hire a lawyer to review your lease, confirm your rights, and see what your business plan is and if you can actually do that.”
While the City’s Community Activation Toolkit provides helpful guidance, it doesn’t replace fundamental lease review. “The Toronto World Cup website has done a pretty good job with their City Community Activation Toolkit—it’s a helpful starting point, but it really doesn’t replace the need to check your lease and talk to your landlord. I think that is very key, and people should probably be doing that in January because I anticipate channels are going to start getting busy. Landlords are going to get swamped with requests, so better to be ahead of the curve.”
The Window Is Closing
The Taylor Swift experience in November 2024 proved that preparation separates profitable events from missed opportunities. The Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run demonstrated the consequences of trademark violations and last-minute planning. The 2015 Pan Am Games showed the value of coordinated, advance preparation.
With five months until kickoff, the window for strategic preparation is open—but closing quickly. The world is watching. Toronto businesses can be ready.
For Poushin, a lifelong soccer fan, the opportunity is personal as well as professional. “I’m extremely thrilled to have the World Cup here in Toronto. If anybody reading this has a bar and is planning on hosting a viewing party, I would gladly appreciate somebody reserving me a front-row seat.”
Additional resources: City of Toronto Community Activation Toolkit (toronto.ca/torontofwc26) and FIFA’s Public Viewing Platform for licencing applications.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.