World Cup 2026 in Toronto: What Ontario Landlords Need to Know About Short-Term Rentals

The Opportunity (and the Risks)

Toronto is hosting six World Cup matches between June 12 and July 2, 2026. The opener features Canada playing on home soil for the first time in a men's FIFA World Cup. Germany, Croatia, Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire all play group stage games here too, plus a Round of 32 knockout match.

That is not just six match days. Fans arrive days before, stay between games, and explore the city. Hotels will be stretched. Short-term rental demand will spike. Nightly rates during comparable FIFA events have historically run two to four times above normal pricing.

The opportunity is real. So are the rules. Toronto has some of the strictest short-term rental bylaws in Canada, and enforcement is expected to ramp up during the tournament. Getting this wrong does not just mean a fine - it can mean losing your STR license entirely.

Toronto Match Schedule at a Glance

The Rules: What You Can and Cannot Do

Principal Residence Only

This is the most important rule and the one most likely to trip up landlords looking to cash in. In Toronto, you can only operate a short-term rental in the home where you actually live. Your principal residence. The address on your driver's license, your tax returns, your health card.

Investment properties do not qualify. Your cottage does not qualify. That empty condo unit sitting vacant does not qualify. If you do not sleep there most nights of the year, you cannot rent it short-term during the World Cup. Full stop.

Registration Is Mandatory

Every short-term rental operator in Toronto must register with the city. The 2026 registration fee is $375. You will receive an STR operator number that must appear on every listing - Airbnb, VRBO, or anywhere else.

Operating without registration carries fines of $500 to $5,000 per day. During the World Cup, expect the city to be actively scanning platforms for unlicensed listings. Do not gamble on flying under the radar.

Night Limits and Room Rules

If you rent out your entire home while you are away, you are capped at 180 nights per calendar year. For the World Cup window alone, that is not an issue. But if you have been renting all year, check your count.

Renting individual rooms (up to three at once) while you are still living in the home has no night limit. This can actually be the smarter play for the World Cup - you stay in your home, rent spare bedrooms, and avoid the 180-night question entirely.

The Municipal Accommodation Tax

Toronto charges an 8.5% Municipal Accommodation Tax on all short-term rental bookings. This rate was specifically increased to help fund World Cup infrastructure and is in effect through July 2026. If you are using Airbnb or VRBO, the platform handles collection and remittance. If you are booking directly, you are responsible for remitting it yourself.

How to Actually Make Money (Legally)

Option 1: Rent Spare Rooms in Your Home

The simplest path. You live in your house, rent out one to three bedrooms to World Cup visitors. No night limit applies. You are on-site to manage guests. Your principal residence requirement is never in question because you are literally sleeping there.

Pricing for a well-located room near BMO Field or along TTC routes to the stadium could realistically command $150-$300 per night during match weekends. Multiply that by two or three rooms over the three-week tournament window and the math gets interesting fast.

Option 2: Rent Your Entire Principal Residence

If you have somewhere else to stay for a stretch, you can list your entire home. A two-bedroom near the Gardiner or Liberty Village could pull $400-$600 per night during peak match days. Even $250-$350 on off-days.

The risk here is higher. You need to manage the property remotely (or hire someone), and the wear-and-tear on a fully rented home during a soccer tournament is a real consideration. World Cup crowds are enthusiastic. Plan accordingly.

Option 3: Rent Your Parking

Do not overlook this. If you own a home near BMO Field with a driveway or parking space, you can rent that parking spot separately. Match-day parking near the stadium will be scarce and expensive. Platforms like SpotHero or even a simple Kijiji listing can turn your driveway into a revenue stream with essentially zero risk.

Protecting Yourself

Insurance

Standard homeowner insurance does not cover short-term rental activity. Before you list anything, call your insurer. You need either a short-term rental endorsement on your existing policy or a separate commercial liability policy.

Airbnb offers AirCover, which provides some host protection. It should not be your only coverage. Think of it as a backup, not your primary shield.

Screening and Security

World Cup visitors come from everywhere. Most are just fans looking for a place to sleep and a way to get to the stadium. But a major international event also attracts opportunists.

Use platform verification tools. Require government ID. Set clear house rules about noise, parties, and guest counts. If you are renting rooms while home, this is straightforward. If renting your entire place, consider a smart lock with unique codes for each booking and a noise monitoring device.

Document Everything

Take photos of your property before the first guest arrives. Document the condition of furniture, appliances, walls, everything. If there is damage, you need evidence to file a claim. This applies whether you are going through Airbnb resolution or your own insurance.

What If You Have Tenants?

If your rental property has tenants, the World Cup does not change your obligations. You cannot remove tenants to capitalize on short-term rental demand. Here is what you should be aware of:

Tax Implications

Short-term rental income is taxable. Full stop. The CRA expects you to report all rental income from Airbnb, VRBO, or direct bookings on your tax return.

The good news: you can deduct eligible expenses. Registration fees, cleaning costs, platform service fees, the portion of utilities attributable to the rental, insurance premiums, and supplies like linens or toiletries. Keep receipts for everything.

If you earn more than $30,000 in short-term rental revenue in a 12-month period, you may need to register for GST/HST. For most landlords doing a few weeks during the World Cup, this threshold will not be an issue. But if you combine World Cup income with year-round hosting, track your cumulative total.

A Timeline for Getting Ready

The Bottom Line

The World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Toronto property owners. If you live in your own home near BMO Field or anywhere along the TTC, you can legitimately earn thousands of dollars over a few weeks by hosting visitors.

But the rules are non-negotiable. Principal residence only. City registration required. No evicting tenants. No illegal conversions. The landlords who benefit most will be the ones who do this by the book - not the ones who try to cut corners and hope enforcement does not catch up.

Get registered, get insured, get your space ready. The world is coming to Toronto. Make the most of it.

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