Toronto: The World Capital of Sports
A City Where Sports Are Everywhere.
Discover Toronto Through Its Love of Sports
Toronto is a city where sports are deeply connected to everyday life. From hockey and basketball to baseball, soccer, running, and cycling, the city offers visitors many ways to experience sports beyond simply watching a professional game.
For first time visitors, Toronto's sports scene can also be a useful way to understand the city itself. Major teams play in venues close to the downtown core, large international events bring visitors from around the world, and an extensive network of parks, trails, and cycling routes makes physical activity part of the urban landscape.
Here are seven things worth knowing if you want to experience sports in Toronto like a local.
1. Toronto Has Teams in Several Major Professional Leagues
Toronto is home to professional teams competing at the highest levels of several major North American sports.
The Toronto Maple Leafs compete in the NHL, while the Toronto Raptors compete in the NBA. Both teams play their home games at Scotiabank Arena, making the venue one of the city's most important sports destinations.
The Maple Leafs are one of the NHL's Original Six franchises, while the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.
Insider Tip: If you want to experience two of Toronto's biggest sports cultures in one location, check the schedules for the Maple Leafs and Raptors. Their shared home at Scotiabank Arena makes it possible to explore the surrounding downtown area before or after a game.
Official sources:
www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/team/history
www.nba.com/team/1610612761/raptors
2. The Toronto Blue Jays Play in the Heart of Downtown
Baseball has a major presence in Toronto through the Toronto Blue Jays, the city's MLB team.
Their home is Rogers Centre, located beside the CN Tower and within walking distance of several major downtown attractions.
The stadium is particularly distinctive because of its location within Toronto's downtown skyline and its retractable roof, which allows games to continue in different weather conditions.
Pro Tip: A Blue Jays game can easily be combined with other downtown experiences. Rogers Centre is close to the CN Tower, Union Station, the waterfront, and several major entertainment and dining areas.
Official source:
3. Soccer Became Even More Important to Toronto in 2026
Soccer has become an increasingly visible part of Toronto's sports identity, with Toronto FC competing in Major League Soccer and playing at BMO Field.
But 2026 brought the city an especially significant moment. Toronto was one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026, with Toronto Stadium hosting six tournament matches.
The venue underwent major upgrades for the tournament, including a temporary expansion that brought its capacity to approximately 45,000.
Toronto's World Cup role also created an interesting piece of sports history. The city hosted the first men's FIFA World Cup match played on Canadian soil.
Insider Tip: If you are visiting Toronto during a major soccer event, check the tournament and venue schedules in advance. BMO Field is located near Exhibition Place and the waterfront, making it easy to combine a match with other activities in the area.
Official sources:
https://www.bmofield.com/events
4. Toronto's Sports Culture Goes Beyond Professional Teams
One of the easiest ways to understand Toronto's relationship with sports is to look beyond the major stadiums.
The city maintains an extensive network of parks, trails, recreation facilities, cycling routes, sports fields, basketball courts, and other spaces designed for everyday physical activity.
The City of Toronto specifically highlights opportunities for residents and visitors to walk, cycle, hike, play sports, and use recreation facilities throughout the city.
Toronto Secret: Some of the city's best places for outdoor activity are hidden within its ravine system. Trails can take you from busy urban areas into heavily wooded landscapes surprisingly close to downtown.
Official sources:
www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/how-to-use-our-services/ways-to-participate/
www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/parks-and-recreation-facilities/trails/
5. The Don Valley Connects Sports, Nature, and the City
Toronto's ravine system gives the city an unusual advantage for outdoor sports. The Lower Don Trail, for example, is a five kilometre multi use trail used by pedestrians and cyclists. It runs along the Don River and connects areas including Pottery Road and Corktown Commons.
Other trails throughout the ravine system provide opportunities for walking, cycling, hiking, and recreation.
The City describes ravines as an important part of Toronto's green infrastructure, providing environmental, recreational, and health benefits while connecting different parts of the urban landscape.
Insider Tip: Toronto's ravines are not simply parks. They function as connected natural corridors within the city, which means you can combine a day of sightseeing with walking or cycling without leaving the urban environment.
Official sources:
www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/parks-and-recreation-facilities/trails/
6. Toronto Hosts a Major International Marathon Every Year
Running is another important part of Toronto's sports calendar. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of the city's major annual sporting events and takes runners through the downtown and waterfront areas. The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 18, with the marathon and half marathon starting at 8:00 a.m. The 5K takes place on October 17.
For visitors interested in sports tourism, events like this offer a different way to experience Toronto because the course connects major urban areas rather than keeping the event inside a stadium.
Pro Tip: If you are visiting Toronto during marathon weekend, plan your route in advance because road closures can affect transportation across downtown and the waterfront.
Official source:
www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/
7. Cycling Is Part of Toronto's Everyday Sports Landscape
Toronto's sports culture also extends to cycling. The City maintains designated cycling routes, bicycle lanes, cycle tracks, and multi use trails across the city. These routes connect neighborhoods and destinations while also providing opportunities for recreational cycling.
The city's official cycling network continues to evolve, with new infrastructure projects added and upgraded in different parts of Toronto.
Pro Tip: If you want to experience Toronto beyond the traditional tourist route, consider exploring part of the city by bike. The combination of dedicated cycling infrastructure, waterfront routes, parks, and ravine trails creates a very different perspective of the city.
Official sources:
Why Sports Are Such a Big Part of Toronto
Toronto's sports identity is not based on a single team or one particular sport. It comes from the combination of professional franchises, international competitions, community recreation, outdoor spaces, running events, cycling infrastructure, and fans who follow multiple sports throughout the year.
For visitors, this creates several different ways to experience the city. You can watch the Blue Jays beside the CN Tower, attend a Raptors or Maple Leafs game downtown, explore the waterfront around BMO Field, join a running event, or simply walk and cycle through Toronto's extensive network of parks and ravines.
Experience Toronto With a Home Base Built for Sports Travelers
Casa Hotels already welcomes sports fans, athletes, and teams traveling to Toronto for major sporting events.
From visitors arriving from around the world to support their favorite teams to competitors coming to the city for tournaments, races, and other sporting events, Casa Hotels is already part of the experience for sports travelers visiting Toronto.
For people traveling specifically for sports, having a comfortable place to stay can make a major difference. Casa Hotels offers fully furnished accommodations designed to feel more like a home than a traditional hotel room, with fully equipped kitchens, extremely comfortable beds, private laundry facilities, and spacious units accommodating between three and seven guests.
These features make the accommodations especially practical for couples traveling to see a game, groups of friends following their team, or athletes and competition teams traveling together. Guests have the space to prepare their own meals, rest comfortably, do laundry, and recharge between games, training sessions, competitions, and sightseeing.
Whether you are coming to Toronto to cheer from the stands or compete on the field, court, track, or course, Casa Hotels offers a home base designed around the needs of sports travelers. As Toronto continues to attract major sporting events and visitors from around the world, Casa Hotels is already welcoming the people who come to the city to experience and take part in them.
Ready for the Game?
From major league games to international competitions, Toronto brings sports fans and athletes from around the world.
Book your stay and get ready for game day.
