People are blaming John Tory for the FIFA World Cup prices rising to nearly $380 million.

Some supporters find it exciting that Toronto will host a few games of the biggest sporting event in the world, but for other residents of the city, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is turning out to be more expensive than it is worth.

The costs the City would have to pay to host six of the soccer tournament’s games at BMO Field have officially been disclosed this week, amounting to $380 million—a staggering $80 million more than previous projections and about $100 million more than first estimated.

And it is only fair that taxpayers feel aggrieved that they bear the financial burden.

The costs of playing FIFA appear to outweigh the benefits for locals, even as officials from the City guarantee that the event would “bring positive economic and cultural benefits, particularly in the tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors.”

Even with this elevated price tag, the Province of Ontario has already stated that it will not be contributing any more money than the $97 million that was initially committed. This is despite the fact that the cost was supposed to be shared by multiple levels of government.

A lot of people are criticizing former Mayor John Tory, who wrote the agreement with FIFA, which is infamous for its “take it or leave it” clauses that force host towns to bear the financial load. The specifics of the agreement with Toronto remain undisclosed.

Among those reacting to the news this week is City Councillor Josh Matlow, who wrote on X on Monday, saying, “While I’m excited about Toronto hosting FIFA World Cup games, the agreement Toronto signed was horrible, and so many of our city’s basic needs haven’t been met.” John Tory scored an own goal in addition to dropping the ball. A better agreement is required for Toronto.

Some individuals are not only upset about the split of the expenditures, the skyrocketing costs, and the fact that Toronto agreed to host games in the first place, but they are also afraid that the amounts related to the event will just keep going up.

Many ask why FIFA was even considered when money is so desperately needed elsewhere. For a few years now, politicians have lamented Toronto’s budget imbalance and general financial woes, and people have noticed a sharp drop in the city’s standard of living.

At this point in the proceedings, some are even demanding that the Toronto games be canceled, stating that “there is absolutely no way taxpayers should have to pay that much for this event.”

Many predict that after all is said and done, the amount will rise much past $380 million, possibly even surpassing any economic gain to the province and city.