TORONTO, June 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The biggest World Cup crowd in Canada will not be inside the stadium. It will be everywhere else. New Vividata data shows 17.5 million Canadian adults plan to watch or follow FIFA World Cup 2026, while 2.3 million aim to attend at least one live match. That points to a scarce-ticket event with a much larger audience gathering in homes, bars, restaurants, public viewing spaces and online.
“The World Cup audience in Canada will not be defined by who gets a ticket,” said Pat Pellegrini, President and CEO, Vividata. “It will be defined by the millions of Canadians watching, gathering, travelling, sharing, and celebrating around the tournament. That is the opportunity for media companies, marketers, tourism organizations and brands.”
The Audience Is Bigger Than Soccer Fans
Vividata findings show FIFA World Cup 2026 will reach well beyond traditional soccer fans. While 52 per cent of Canadian adults plan to watch or follow the tournament, many do not identify as FIFA fans, turning the World Cup into a broader consumer, media and cultural moment.
Among World Cup followers, 10.2 million plan to watch at home with family or friends, 3.9 million plan to watch in a bar, restaurant, or pub, and 3.8 million plan to watch at a viewing party hosted by family, friends, or neighbours.
For marketers and media owners, Vividata Spatial helps connect that audience demand to local behaviour, showing where different World Cup audiences are concentrated and how they can be reached through media, mobility, dining, shopping, travel, and cultural indicators.
Canada First, But Not Canada Only
While Canada is the clear favourite, tournament followers will also be cheering for the world. More than 9 million name Canada as their favourite team, while Argentina, Brazil, England, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain also draw meaningful support. Among FIFA fans, Brazil, Argentina, and England lead after Canada.
Those loyalties are personal. Among FIFA fans, 28 per cent say they follow their favourite team because they grew up watching them, 24 per cent feel emotionally connected to the team and 17 per cent say the team represents their family’s heritage.
How Canadians Will Experience the Tournament
Among Canadians who intend to attend a live match, 65 per cent say they want to experience local culture when travelling, 65 per cent like trying authentic local food, 64 per cent enjoy road trips and 58 per cent say travel and accommodation discounts have a major impact on their travel plans. More than one-third say they love sharing vacation experiences on social media.
The tournament is sure to create activity across restaurants, retail, attractions, transportation, accommodations, social platforms, and local media. In the next 12 months, live-match intenders include 1.04 million people who plan to visit friends or relatives, 891,000 who plan to go shopping, 834,000 who plan to go sightseeing, 415,000 who plan to take in nightlife and 412,000 who plan to attend cultural events.
Toronto and Vancouver Are the Centre, Not the Boundary
Toronto and Vancouver will be the centre of Canada’s live-match experience, but the audience opportunity is national. In Toronto, 4.2 million adults plan to watch or follow FIFA World Cup 2026, including 716,000 who plan to attend one or more live games. In Vancouver, 1.8 million adults plan to watch or follow, including 385,000 who plan to attend one or more live games.
The tournament will also move people through host cities and surrounding communities. Among those who intend to attend a live World Cup match, 814,000 booked an Uber ride in the past month, 573,000 took a taxi and 234,000 booked Lyft. More than 1 million also say they use or try to earn travel reward points to travel more often.
“The World Cup will put people in motion across host cities and surrounding communities,” said Pellegrini. “Vividata’s Spatial capabilities help connect that movement to the audiences behind it, showing where people are likely to gather, travel, dine, shop and engage with media around the tournament.”
About Vividata
Vividata is Canada’s authoritative source for insights on cross-media and consumer behaviour, delivering Unmatched Insights. Smarter Decisions. As the country’s leading provider of cross-platform audience measurement, Vividata surveys offer the most complete view of how people live, shop, and consume media. A not-for-profit governed by industry leaders, Vividata reinvests in innovation to provide unmatched, privacy-first insights. Its flagship SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer is the largest syndicated study in Canada, complemented by solutions like Spatial, Relevance, and Metrica, along with specialized multicultural, sports, and brand affinity reports. Learn more at www.vividata.ca.
Andrew Findlater
SELECT Public Relations
afindlater@selectpr.ca
(647) 444-1197
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