Roberts drew a pointed comparison to the 2010 World Cup in Durban, South Africa, where large beachfront public viewing areas were free and open to all. He argued that Toronto could — and should — have offered more accessible communal celebrations.

Who actually profited?

Contracts reviewed ahead of the tournament reveal that while governments shouldered the hosting costs, FIFA retained matchday revenue streams including ticket sales, media rights, and parking fees. At an estimated $82 million (£43 million) per match across 13 games, questions about value for money are unavoidable.

Protests also marked the tournament's opening weeks. Activists covered the official World Cup sign on Toronto's Gardiner Expressway with a political banner, while a FIFA Fan Fest screening at Nathan Phillips Square descended into chaos when organisers cancelled — then abruptly resumed — the Belgium-Iran broadcast amid clashes between opposing groups of Iranian protesters.

The unhoused left behind

The Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union (TUHU) spent months raising the alarm before the tournament, staging a