Toronto’s role as a World Cup host city is giving visiting supporters plenty of opportunities to explore between fixtures. Mihalec reportedly expected his visit to centre largely on Croatia’s game against Panama, but found far more to occupy his time.
His experience includes the city itself and the wider area around it, with family time in Hamilton forming part of a first visit to Canada. The report says he was surprised by the amount there was to see away from the match.
That reaction has reportedly been shared by British visitors Bill Aitken and Chloe Lay, who arrived in Toronto and spent time in local pubs, watched football and visited St Lawrence Market and the Distillery District.
Lay’s account focused on the energy surrounding the tournament, while Aitken was reportedly struck by the enthusiasm for football in Canada. For a visitor arriving with assumptions about the sport’s place in North American culture, the atmosphere around the tournament appears to have offered a useful correction.
Toronto’s appeal lies in that combination: a major international event, a famously diverse food scene and neighbourhoods capable of turning a short stay into a fuller city break.
The strongest host cities do more than stage matches. They give supporters stories to take home, whether that means a memorable meal, an unexpected local discovery or a new appreciation of football’s reach.
For Mihalec and the British visitors, the report suggests Toronto has already delivered that wider experience. As more fans arrive and the city’s remaining fixtures unfold, the next story to watch will be whether Toronto continues converting match-day visitors into long-term ambassadors.