The City of Toronto and FIFA26 Canada picked Humber’s Lakeshore campus as the FIFA World Cup 26 Toronto Volunteer Centre.
Located inside the G Cottage, the volunteer centre will serve as the primary hub for recruitment, training, accrediting and outfitting volunteers for the tournament taking place in June and July 2026.
The FIFA World Cup 26 features 16 host cities across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, and Humber is the only host city supporter sponsor across all host cities that is directly supporting the volunteer program.
Toronto’s volunteer program will recruit about 3,000 volunteers to assist with fan experiences, accessibility services, media operations, event logistics and more.
Humber will help manage the local delivery of the volunteer program, including volunteer recruitment, training, scheduling and recognition.
Humber President Ann Marie Vaughan said the polytechnic’s students will also benefit from the partnership, gaining hands-on experience in areas such as media production, event management and data analytics that are needed to support the tournament.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Humber to be lifting and providing our experience across the city, but it’s equally an opportunity for our students to be volunteers and to participate in many levels with the games,” Vaughan said.
The G Cottage has been revitalized to accommodate volunteers over the next year. All candidates will have a 90-minute experience across the building's four floors.
The second floor has been transformed into an exhibition space, featuring historic FIFA milestones, facts about the volunteer program and memorabilia from FIFA, Canada Soccer, Soccer Hall of Fame Ontario and the City of Toronto.
Highlights include tickets from the 1986 FIFA World Cup match between Canada and France, a 1986 soccer ball featuring portraits of Canada’s World Cup squad and the pennant from Christine Sinclair’s final FIFA Women’s World Cup match.
Volunteers can explore the memorabilia rooms before heading into the video room, where a series of videos outlines the volunteer experience and the important role volunteers will play in bringing the tournament to life.
Mayor Olivia Chow, Councillor Amber Morley (Ward 3 Etobicoke-Lakeshore), Ontario’s Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden, Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden and FIFA Chief Tournament Officer Peter Montopoli attended the Nov. 13 event at the campus. Local MPP Lee Fairclough and MP James Maloney were also present.
Van Koeverden said this is a historic opportunity to showcase Canada to the world as a vibrant and inclusive country.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Canada Strong Budget 2025, which passed 170-168 on Nov. 17 and avoided a holiday election, includes $100 million to help ensure the success of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“It’s a major boost to both sports culture and our country, and that’s why budget 2025 includes an increase to the amount that we are investing to ensure that everyone enjoys the event,” van Koeverden said.
Chow said Toronto led all 16 host cities with 248,000 volunteer applications. The mayor described the tournament as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not just for the matches but also for the connections the city will build with visitors from across the globe.
“That sense of connection that comes from helping each other out, from caring and cheering together, that’s at the heart of who we are in Toronto,” Chow said.
Starting lineup volunteer Alex Salvadori said the chance to be part of the tournament is especially meaningful to him, given his lifelong passion for soccer.
“I think it’s going to be a surreal experience welcoming so many different cultures. Canada is known as a really diverse nation, so it’s going to be great to show how we are able to welcome all these cultures and different fans and teams,” Salvadori said.
Players and members of the coaching staff from the Humber Hawks men’s soccer team also attended the event. The Hawks were crowned Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association champions for the 11th time last month.
G Cottage is home to the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) and the Humber Idea Lab. Longo CfE bookings are unavailable through 2025 and 2026, and the Idea Lab has reopened at a temporary location in H206.
Toronto will host six FIFA World Cup 26 matches, including the first-ever men’s FIFA World Cup match to be played on Canadian soil.
