Toronto council strengthens oversight of major events after watchdog flags potential FIFA risks
In
a report presented to council on Wednesday
, auditor general Tara Anderson examined council's February 2018 decision that authorized the city manager to sign up for the bid launched by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to host the international soccer tournament. Toronto is scheduled to host six games starting June 12, 2026.
Anderson found that while council made joining the bid conditional on the federal and provincial governments pledging to share hosting costs, the city didn't get those commitments before the March 2018 deadline to join. Instead, soon after the council vote staff signed an agreement with Canada Soccer to withdraw from hosting duties if Toronto didn't get funding guarantees from the other governments by June 2020. The agreement wasn't made public at the time, and was first
reported by Star last year
.
City staff didn't report back to council on the World Cup plans until March 2022, four years after council's 2018 decision. The update didn't provide details of the withdrawal agreement — which was extended 'multiple times,' the auditor found — or explain how staff had mitigated risks related to the lack of intergovernmental funding, which at the time the city had still not nailed down.
The auditor general found staff should have reported to council earlier about the conditions for pulling out of the bid, which would have allowed councillors 'to make an informed decision to continue (to pursue hosting rights) or withdraw.'
The watchdog also noted that the initial estimate staff provided to council in 2018 pegged hosting costs at between $30 million and $45 million, a figure that didn't include the price of security, which staff said at the time was impossible to predict so far before the tournament. Toronto's overall hosting costs have now risen to $380 million, with the city responsible for almost $180 million. In May 2024, the federal government pledged $104 million, and while Ontario announced in February 2024 it had conditionally committed $97 million, negotiations are ongoing over how Queen's Park's contribution will be allocated.
Anderson concluded that in future, staff should include all costs that could fall under the city's responsibility in early estimates to ensure 'city council has all relevant information to make an informed decision.'
'City council's limited visibility into the agreement terms, combined with staff not providing timely updates, could have left the city exposed to potential financial, operational, and reputational risk,' the report concluded. 'It is important that when council decides to delegate authority, that staff still appropriately report back to update council in a timely manner.'
In a politically charged discussion before the vote on Anderson's report, councillors quizzed the city integrity commissioner over an investigation by his predecessor into former mayor John Tory. Under questions from Coun. Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth) and others, Paul Muldoon recounted how
the October 2023 report from then commissioner Jonathan Batty
found Tory broke ethics rules when he voted in 2022 to advance Toronto's World Cup plans, which are being executed in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).
At the time, Tory was in a relationship with a woman that began while she was a staffer in his office, and continued when she took a job at MLSE, where she worked on the World Cup file.
Tory
resigned over the relationship in February 202
3, shortly after it was revealed by the Star. According to sources, he is considering running for mayor again next year, and polls suggest he would be the biggest threat to Mayor Olivia Chow.
Fletcher said that while the World Cup will be fun for the city, Toronto is being left with a '$400 million hangover' in hosting costs.
Because of the lack of rigorous oversight, 'we're left wondering (whether) MLSE got a really great deal for FIFA, and maybe we didn't get the best deal for FIFA,' said Fletcher, who sits on Chow's executive committee.
'We need to be careful and squeaky clean in this city when we're making these very big financial decisions,' she said.
In response to concerns about rising costs, Chow had instituted a new council governance structure for the tournament
in March 2024
, which Anderson determined had strengthened oversight. The auditor's report made seven recommendations intended to improve guidelines for future international events — such as developing policies to ensure council is informed of major changes to projects delegated to staff, and drafting principles for bidding on major events, including risk assessments — each of which council either approved or enhanced.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
10 minutes ago
- Axios
Inside Bay Area preparations for the 2026 World Cup
Over a million people are expected to descend upon the Bay Area next summer for six FIFA World Cup matches at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, and local officials are at work to ensure everything runs smoothly. Why it matters: The games, which will take place mere months after the Bay Area hosts the Super Bowl, are projected to generate up to $360 million in economic activity across the entire region. State of play: The Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC), an organization first formed ahead of the 2016 Super Bowl, is tasked with overseeing the execution of World Cup events, which will include five group stage matches and one round of 32 knockout match. Their goal is twofold, BAHC president and CEO Zaileen Janmohamed told Axios: Fundraise enough money to cover all expenses, and work with nine counties and over 100 cities to maximize economic impact. Behind the scenes: Officials said in December that the World Cup will cost Santa Clara an estimated $45-50 million. But BAHC is expected to cover those costs, including stadium modifications, security and equipment needs, per an agreement with the city. The 49ers have agreed to backstop funds related to stadium renovations if BAHC is unable to cover all costs. BAHC is also receiving $10 million in state funding for public safety needs. What they're saying:"This is historic and unprecedented, and no one has ever done it before, and therefore there's no template on how to do it," Janmohamed told Axios. "We will be the epicenter of sport." Though she declined to provide a specific target fundraising figure, Janmohamed said, "We have a lot of energy in the marketplace." San José, which borders Santa Clara, is working to raise a few million dollars for concerts, drone shows and watch parties downtown, which will serve as a "centerpiece for the fan experience," Mayor Matt Mahan told Axios. Local officials are also developing a QR code and app to help visitors navigate community events, Mahan said. "We want to build a seamless experience" from San Francisco to South Bay, he added. Charles Lutvak, spokesperson for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, did not provide details about the city's World Cup preparations but said they "expect to welcome tens of thousands of fans."
Newsweek
10 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Why This NL West Team Won MLB Trade Deadline
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Most everyone around baseball knows how aggressive San Diego Padres general manager can be. Preller once again proved that Wednesday and Thursday when he made several impactful moves. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: General manager A. J. Preller of the San Diego Padres talks on the phone before the game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on June 23, 2025 in... SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: General manager A. J. Preller of the San Diego Padres talks on the phone before the game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on June 23, 2025 in San Diego, California. MorePreller was the talk of the baseball world Wednesday night when he pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire flame throwing closer Mason Miller, along with starting pitcher JP Sears from the Athletics. The blockbuster deal did cost San Diego its top prospect and the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball, shortstop Leo De Vries. That was just the first of a plethora of moves made by Preller throughout Wednesday and Thursday. The Athletics are reportedly receiving four prospects, including MLB's No. 3 prospect Leo De Vries, in return for RHP Mason Miller and LHP JP Sears. — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 31, 2025 As if adding Miller to the bullpen and Sears to the rotation wasn't enough, San Diego made several upgrades to its lineup. The Padres acquired outfielder Ramon Laureano and first baseman Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles. O'Hearn is having a career season, as he is batting .283 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and a career-high .837 OPS. Much like O'Hearn, Laureano is having a career season. He is hitting .290 with 15 doubles, 17 home runs, 46 RBI and a .884 OPS. Both of those players are expected to join San Diego's everyday lineup, and Preller wasn't done adding with those two. The Padres have struggled mightily with production from catchers this season, so a move was made for former Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin. Fermin is having a solid season, with a .255 average and .309 on-base percentage. By no means are those All-Star caliber numbers, but they are much better than the production provided by Martin Maldanado and Elias Diaz. In total, the acquisitions of Miller, Sears, O'Hearn, Laureano and Fermin gave the Padres the best haul of any team at the trade deadline. More MLB: Pirates' Ben Cherington Makes Alarming Admission on Yankees' David Bednar Package
New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
Yankees would only trade Spencer Jones for this one player
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Move over Livvy Dunne and make way for Spencer Jones. The Yankees are only willing to trade their mashing prospect for Pirates ace — and arguably the industry's most desirable pitching trade asset — Paul Skenes, and would not include Jones in trade talks with the Marlins for former NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, according to The Post's Jon Heyman. In part due to their reluctance to use Jones in talks, the Yankees did not land a starting pitcher at the deadline. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did not give a direct response after the deadline Thursday when asked if the team viewed Jones as 'untouchable.' 4 Spencer Jones during spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'Spencer has had a great year and he's honored his draft position. … He's really done an amazing job as he's closed the gap on his development to the big leagues, that is in his future,' Cashman said. 'Some players are more touchable than others. We've always been excited by his potential, and it's really a pleasure to have seen him put together the year he's having, it's pretty exciting stuff. We're looking forward to watching that journey continue.' That the Yankees would only move on from Jones in such a scenario is a telling revelation and one that shows how highly the Yankees view the 24-year-old. It also opens the Yankees to immense scrutiny should Jones not become a star player. To say that the only person you would trade a prospect for is Skenes, the dominant second-year righty sporting a 1.89 career ERA, seemingly indicates you believe this player will be a perennial All-Star. 4 Paul Skenes is a certified stud. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images A team would thus be cutting themselves off from 99.9 percent of talent by holding onto said player in all but one instance. The Yankees clearly think they have a budding superstar on their hands. 4 The Yankees didn't include Jones in talks for Sandy Alcantara. AP The rest of the industry, though, is not universal in that opinion. Jones is only the Yankees' fourth-ranked prospect according to and not even among the sport's top-100 prospects. Heyman also reported that the Yankees would not trade their No. 1 prospect, shortstop George Lombard Jr., for Alcantara. The difference in opinion stems from whether teams and evaluators believe Jones can be a prolific masher despite a high strikeout rate or if his swing-and-miss tendency will doom him. Former Yankees bust Joey Gallo provides a solid example of how that that line can be. Gallo led the league with 213 strikeouts in 2021, but teams will take that when you hit 38 homers and 77 RBIs with an .808 OPS. The 2022 Yankees version that hit .159 with a .621 OPS while striking out 106 times in 273 plate appearances with 12 homers and 24 RBIs is why he got sent out of town. 4 Spencer Jones is on the verge of a call-up. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Jones has fanned 96 times spanning 262 at-bats this year (36.6 percent), but his 29 homers and 1.115 OPS negate those whiffs. He's been particularly dominant in Triple-A, hitting .402 with 13 homers and a 1.381 OPS spanning 87 at-bats in 21 games. For his minor league career, Jones has struck out in 35.8 percent of his at-bats. Jones remains in Triple-A for the time being, even with Aaron Judge sidelined, and these comments only magnify how the Yankees employ him in the future. He could be an everyday fielder as soon as next year or perhaps he could be headlining a deal for Skenes, should the Pirates decide to make him available.
