FIFA World Cup 2026: Non-Competitive Procurement with the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto vendor

In December 2025, the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto Vendor was awarded a contract, valued at $16.0 million, to manage and deliver site production and programming of FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto. Subsequent to the awarding of this contract, the City and the Province executed the Provincial Contribution Agreement in February 2026, which allowed for the allocation of funds from both the Provincial and Federal Governments to primarily cover the costs of FIFA Fan Festival. Further to this, the City has been in discussions with FIFA related to the delivery of an additional FIFA-led activation at FIFA Fan Festival. To improve the fan experience and bolster safety and security at the event, authority is being sought to enter into a non-competitive contract by an incremental value of $9.0 million with the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto Vendor. All incremental operating costs associated with the non-competitive procurement (NCP) are either fully revenue‑supported or accommodated through internal reallocations. There is no net financial impact to the City, and no change to the $380.0 million FIFA World Cup 2026 budget. Execution of the proposed additional services will start immediately upon approval to ensure completion before the FIFA World Cup begins in June 2026. The FIFA Fan Festival Toronto Vendor contract, valued at $16.0 million was previously competitively procured and included within the $380.0 million FIFA World Cup 2026 budget. Approval of the non-competitive contract would bring the total cost of FIFA Fan Festival to $25.0 million. Non-competitive procurements may be undertaken where both the proposed procurement and supplier can be justified in good faith based on an exception set out in Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, Procurement. This non-competitive procurement will be proceeding under the exception code related to additional deliveries of services that were not included in the original procurement, but a change of supplier cannot be made for economic and technical reasons. The City has determined in good faith that both the proposed procurement and the selected supplier, along with the terms and conditions of the contract, are beneficial to the City (Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 195, Procurement, Section 7.1E.). Pursuant to City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, Procurement, Section 195-7.3 (D), Standing Committee and Council approval is required for all non-competitive procurements valued up to or over $500,000, or where the term of the contract exceeds five (5) years or exceeds the projected capital funding for the project as approved by Council. Approval is also required under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, Financial Control, Section 71-11A., as the procurement value exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of HST allowed under staff authority. Adopting the recommendations in this report will have no impact on the $380.0 million overall budget for the FWC26 Toronto Secretariat.

DBA Rendezvous w/ Candice & Alison Inc. and One Twenty Eight Inc., Loft Entertainment Inc., & Paquin Entertainment Group (FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor), in an amount not to exceed $9.0 million net of all applicable taxes and charges, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Secretariat and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 2. City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for City Manager Services by $7.1 million gross and $0 net, fully funded by third party contributions and FIFA Fan Festival™ revenues.