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World Cup excitement is reaching a fever pitch as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, two of the biggest stars in global soccer, prepare to face each other in Toronto’s final match of the tournament.
Thursday night was always due to be Toronto’s final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with results from the group stage gifting the city Croatia versus Portugal, one of the most tantalizing ties of the Round of 32.
“I think it’s going to be incredible,” Vanja Graham, a Torontonian and Croatia fan, told Global News. “People coming together, celebrating together and also the rivalries are going to be incredible.”
Toronto is home to a large Croatian community and an even larger number of Portuguese people.
Even in normal circumstances, a match between the two would bring the city to life.
But Thursday’s match is not taking place in normal circumstances; Toronto is hosting both Croatia and Portugal as they prepare to bid goodbye to international icons who aren’t likely to play at a World Cup again.
At 40 years old, Croatia’s Modric will struggle to appear at the next World Cup in 2030, while former Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is already 41.
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One of the two — who have played together at Real Madrid — will probably play their last-ever World Cup match in Toronto, with the loser of the match-up heading home.
“It’s a huge fanbase between both cultures. It’s going to be amazing,” Denis Peris, from Bairrada Churrasqueira on College Street, said. “Whenever there’s two huge cultures clashing, that’s what makes it fun.”
Ronaldo’s arrival in Toronto on Wednesday saw thousands gather outside the hotel where Team Portugal is staying, desperate to catch a glimpse of the star.
That hysteria has seen prices for tickets to see the match skyrocket into the thousands.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most globally recognized athletes,” Sunny Pathak, of Newpath Sports and Entertainment, said. “Those prices have gone into a meteoric rise… we saw an immediate increase in tickets and the lack of availability for that match, the demand has outweighed the supply in Toronto.”
Ticket reseller StubHub lists seats at the match between $2,000 and almost $9,000 per ticket, while SeatGeek has them between $2,000 and $6,000.
Both companies have been cited by the Ontario government for allegedly breaking rules that ban the sale of tickets for more than their face value.
The province, which has not fined the companies, did not answer questions from Global News about the price of World Cup resale tickets.
FIFA’s official resale marketplace on Wednesday showed Croatia-Portugal as the only round-of-32 match without any tickets available.
For Croatia fan Adrian Zekusic, the unique moment that two titans of soccer meet in likely their last World Cup is worth whatever it takes to be there.
“There’s so much on the line with Ronaldo and Modric both probably being their last World Cups,” he explained.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Can you really put a price on that? I don’t think so.”
The match will kick off around 7 p.m. at Toronto Stadium at Exhibition Place.
Road closures and parking restrictions will be in place in the downtown around the stadium, while increased transit and bike share options are being laid on.
The winner will play either Spain or Austria in the Round of 16.
— with files from Global News’ Sean O’Shea
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