Kensington Market BIA discusses local business plans for 2026 FIFA World Cup

On March 5, 2026, the Kensington Market Business Improvement Area (BIA) held a community meeting at St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church to discuss issues affecting businesses in the neighbourhood and potential programming connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As Toronto prepares to host matches in the City, the BIA is exploring ways Kensington Market can participate in neighbourhood celebrations and attract visitors.

Members of the Kensington Market BIA, including Michael Shepherd, David Beaver and Vezi Tayyeb, discussed potential programming tied to the tournament. One proposal involved creating culturally-themed areas within the neighbourhood to represent different countries participating in the World Cup.

Shepherd suggested highlighting cultures that already have strong ties to Kensington Market, such as Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Colombia.

“The market is very South American, […] so we’re trying to accent that a little more,” said Shepherd.

The goal would be to bring music, cultural programming and street activities to the market during the tournament period.

The group also discussed logistical considerations related to hosting events during the FIFA World Cup. Certain streets in the neighbourhood contain a mix of residential buildings and businesses, which makes full street closures more complicated. Because of this, Shepherd suggested focusing programming in areas where commercial activity is more concentrated and where street closures would be less disruptive to residents.

“The top of Augusta is a little bit wider,” said Shepherd. He emphasized that Nassau Street runs through Kensington Market and must remain clear, making the Augusta side more suitable for street activations.

Business owners also discussed the importance of attracting visitors to Kensington Market during major events like the FIFA World Cup. Many see the tournament as an opportunity to increase foot traffic and support local businesses.

However, the BIA noted that businesses in the area will not be permitted to directly market themselves using official FIFA branding. “You can say something about soccer or something like that, as long as you don’t use the people, logos, FIFA things and that sort of thing,” said Shepherd.

They also emphasized that outside vendors cannot operate in the market during large events. This is due to the fact that temporary vendors can compete with local businesses that already pay rent, taxes and BIA levies in the neighbourhood. They discussed ensuring vacant storefronts will have FIFA-related activations to prevent revenue from going to pop-up vendors instead of existing businesses.

“We don’t need people coming and competing with us,” said Shepherd, adding that by-law officers will be present during events.

Since Kensington Market includes both commercial spaces and residential housing, organizers noted that event planning must also consider noise, street access and crowd management.

At the end of the meeting, Shepherd encouraged community members and business owners to suggest bands who may be able to play the street festival. Additionally, they discussed future meeting plans to secure bands and vendors.

Key takeaways

• The Kensington Market BIA is exploring programming tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

• Organizers discussed creating themed areas representing countries participating in the tournament.

• South American countries such as Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Colombia were mentioned as potential focal points for programming.

• Street closures and event logistics remain a challenge due to the neighbourhood’s mix of residential and commercial spaces.

• Local businesses hope the World Cup will bring increased visitors and economic activity to Kensington Market.

On-the-ground observations from our documenter, Emma Amodio

What stood out to me during this meeting was how local organizers are already thinking about the way global events like the FIFA World Cup will affect neighbourhood-level planning, particularly how Kensington Market can showcase its cultural diversity while attracting visitors during the tournament. 

It was also interesting to hear how organizers are considering the communities already present in the market when discussing potential programming tied to different countries participating in the World Cup.

At the same time, the discussion showed that large international events come with practical challenges for local neighbourhoods, including costs, logistics and how events affect residents and small businesses.

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