The ‘beautiful game’ , FIFA want Uxbridge
Lisha Van Nieuwenhove
Even though it’s still two years away, talk out of Toronto is swirling around the FIFA World Cup, which is set to partially take place in the Six in June 2026. Talk is about to swirl in Uxbridge, too, as FIFA organizers have revealed that the Fields of Uxbridge will be a practice field for the visiting teams.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Uxbridge, with its amazing football pitch at the Fields of Uxbridge, will be a perfect spot for us to bring at least 10 or 12 of the teams up here to practice,” said FIFA practice pitch organizer Goh Lee during an exclusive interview with the Uxbridge Cosmos.
(Note: ‘football’ here references soccer, for Canadian and American fans of the beautiful game.)
The City of Toronto will host six matches in the FIFA World Cup 26, kicking off on June 12, 2026, with the first-ever men’s FIFA World Cup match on Canadian soil and featuring Canada’s Men’s National Team. Toronto is also hosting a round of 32 matches on July 2, 2026. The entire Toronto schedule is as follows:
• June 12, 2026, Group Stage, Canadian Men’s National Team opener
• June 17, Group Stage
• June 20, Group Stage
• June 23, Group Stage
• June 26, Group Stage
• July 2, 2026, Round of 32
Lee said that he wants exclusive use of the Fields of Uxbridge, which are located just north of town on Reg. Rd. 8 (Main St. N.), from June 1, 2026, through to July 15, 2026. The extra time is needed, he said, to facilitate set-up and take down of the infrastructure required for the practices to take place.
“We’re going to need a lot of bleachers set up, because fans are going to want to watch their teams and their players practice. We’re going to have to talk to a few farmers who have fields nearby, see if we can use their fields for parking. We’re going to need a lot of food trucks on site, because those fans are going to want to eat a lot. We’re going to need executive transportable toilets, and all those trucks will need electricity, and we might need extra lighting, so there’ll be generators and such….”
Lee said that initial costs for installing the infrastructure noted above could run around $15-$20 million, but noted that, like in Toronto, which is currently looking at a $380 million price tag for hosting the six matches, the costs could still climb. It is unclear right now what costs the Township of Uxbridge may have to bear. Lee’s aide, Wynn Gerr, told the Cosmos that the price tag the township would have to pay was nothing compared to the benefits of having the practice pitches here.
Gerr also said that, in the event of inclement weather, organizers may want to reserve the Uxbridge Arena for use as an indoor practice space.
“Nice high roofs, two pads – they’re a lot smaller than a football pitch, but we’re doing exercises, practicing. They’re not full-on games, here.”
Both Lee and Gerr noted that players visiting the Fields of Uxbridge might enjoy using both the skate park and the pump park to wind down a little during lead up to the official matches. They also noted that, due to the expected popularity of the practice sessions, several roads in the area adjacent to the Fields of Uxbridge may need to be closed for the duration of the Fields’ use.
According to the official FIFA website, “FIFA World Cup 26 is expected to generate significant economic, cultural and community benefits for Toronto by creating thousands of jobs, welcoming visitors from across the globe and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in local gross domestic product.” Some of that money will now be flowing into Uxbridge.
Lee explained how the Fields of Uxbridge were chosen to be a practice spot for the world-famous tournament.
“My scouts were in Toronto last summer sometime, at the same time as the folks who were telling Toronto what it would have to do to have the games there – you know, like cover up construction sites and make things look really nice around BMO Fields, and my scouts were driving around looking for places where the teams could practice. They didn’t like anything too close to the city, ‘cuz they don’t want pollution or anything, and they just Googled ‘soccer fields’ and Uxbridge came up. So they took a little drive, and loved what they saw.”
Thique Header, one of the scouts, reportedly said that he had never seen natural grass look so pristine, almost identical to artificial turf. He and his scouting partner, Senta Field, immediately put a request in for higher up organizers to come and see the Fields and recommend that they be put on the roster as a practice pitch location. Header did note, however, that the natural turf would have to come up, as world cup matches are played on artificial turf, and that’s what the athletes are used to. Field said that funds will be allocated to have the natural grass replaced once the games leave town.
Practice pitches are often as much a highlight of the games as the official matches. Fans flock to watch the pros work on technique and game plans, and often try to get as close as they can to their football heroes.
Pen Altyarea is football enthusiast from England who follows the FIFA World Cup around the globe (the prestigious tournament is held every four years) but only goes to see the practices, as she says she can’t afford actual match tickets.
“It’s ridiculous, yeah, the prices y’ave to pay to see the gents play in the World Cup. I mean, I want so bad to see them play, I want to be there, yeah, but it’s just, I mean, I work at Marks and Sparks, yeah, I can’t afford to go to the matches. So I watch the gents play at practice. It’s smashing, that. You see the real people then, their raw talent.”
Altyarea is already looking to book someplace to stay in Uxbridge for June 2026.
Practice pitch organizer Lee said that FIFA may also look for a spot in downtown Uxbridge to sell FIFA-related merchandise and souvenirs, so he’s already looking into using the Masonic Lodge on Spruce St.
“We know that some railway here in town had the (Masonic) Lodge and used it to set up and sell some train stuff, and Thomas the Tank Engine, stuff like that, so it’s obviously a good space to do that. Might be just the thing for us,” said Lee.
Sixteen cities throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico are hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026, are 48 teams are expected to play.
The FIFA World Cup 26 final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, New York. A final agenda for the practices at the Fields of Uxbridge should be available by Monday, April 1, 2024, in time for April Fool’s Day.
