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TORONTO — Toronto police will work with officers from other countries to manage international fan groups during the FIFA World Cup, the force said in an update a week before the international soccer tournament’s first match in the city.
Officers from abroad will share intelligence on their respective countries’ fan bases and give “credible situational awareness,” which will help Toronto police respond appropriately should an incident arise, Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said last Friday as he laid out additional details on World Cup preparations.
When asked what differences police expect to see among international supporters, Johnson said the fan experience and dynamic vary greatly with each team.
“People celebrate differently, people support the teams differently, some more aggressive than others,” he said. “So we want to make sure that we are able to understand the crowd dynamics of an individual group that we may not have had experience with here in Toronto.”
Toronto police did not clarify in an email to The Canadian Press which countries’ officers would be present, or whether the public would be informed of their level of involvement.
The officers will also be able to help fans from their home countries, including in situations such as a lost passport, and will be in plain clothes rather than uniforms, Toronto police said.
Johnson said some foreign officers will be embedded with their fan groups, while others will work inside the Toronto Integrated Safety and Security Unit Area Command Centre, a $12.5-million facility designed to bring emergency services co-ordination under one roof during the World Cup.
Throngs of soccer fans are expected to descend on Toronto, one of 16 cities chosen to co-host the tournament taking place across Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Canada’s opening match is set to take place Friday at Toronto Stadium, a revamped version of BMO Field. The team will kick off its group-play schedule against Bosnia-Herzegovina before heading west for two games in Vancouver later in the month.
It’s the first time that men’s World Cup games have been played in Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.
Monique Kasonga, The Canadian Press
