Toronto is getting ready for one of the biggest sporting events the city has ever hosted, and while most of the attention has been on tournament schedules, player injuries and where to stay, another side of the city’s World Cup summer is starting to take shape: dating.
Toronto is hosting six FIFA World Cup matches this summer, with games kicking off on June 12, including the first-ever men’s FIFA World Cup match on Canadian soil. The event is expected to attract more than 300,000 out-of-town visitors during the tournament, and if past World Cups are any indication, Torontonians could be swiping their way through the most romantic summer of their lives!
During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Tinder reportedly saw a 50 per cent increase in use, with the average user spending about 77 minutes a day on the app during the tournament. The 2018 World Cup in Russia also sparked a dating-app bump, with Tinder seeing a 66 per cent increase in matches and a 42 per cent increase in right swipes during the tournament.
Of course, not every connection has to start on an app. World Cup watch parties and activations are popping up across the city, and Toronto is hosting the FIFA Fan Festival from June 11 to July 19 at Fort York and The Bentway, so fans just might find themselves making eyes at someone in the crowd during a match broadcast.
There’s even a World Cup Speed Dating event taking place in Midtown Toronto, bringing together up to 40 singles for 3- to 4-minute dating rounds (with live World Cup action playing on the pub’s screens throughout the evening, naturally).
And whether you’re attending a FIFA watch party or a speed dating event, Toronto Public Health is distributing free soccer-inspired condoms and other safer sex supplies to keep the celebration energy fun and safe.
