A Legacy of Soccer in Toronto
Toronto will host six FIFA World Cup matches this June and July, bringing the world’s premier tournament to a city with deep soccer roots.
The connection dates back to 1956, when Maccabi Tel Aviv faced the Ontario All Stars at Maple Leaf Stadium, defeating them 6‑3 in front of 11,000 spectators.
The exhibition was part of a North American tour sponsored by the Zionist Revisionist Organization of Canada, whose proceeds helped finance the construction of Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, a venue that opened in 1962 and has since been expanded to 29,000 seats.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, founded in 1906 and now owned by Toronto businessman Mitchell Goldhar, continues to call the renovated Bloomfield Stadium home, having captured 26 league championships throughout its history.
More recently, security concerns have led Birmingham to ban Israeli fans from a Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture, underscoring the political sensitivities that accompany the sport, while Iran, a qualified World Cup participant, will not feature in Toronto’s schedule.
The upcoming matches thus serve not only as sporting events but also as a reminder of a century‑long cultural exchange that links Canada, Israel and the broader football community.