World Cup 2026: Ronaldo mania grips Canada as fans swarm hotels, buses and streets

Cristiano Ronaldo mania swept Toronto during World Cup 2026, with fans packing hotels, buses and streets as Portugal played Croatia in the Round of 32. The article says Ronaldo arrived in the city on Canada Day, triggering widespread disruption including the closure of Highway 427 as supporters tried to glimpse the team bus. At Pearson Airport, fans pressed against fencing immediately after his arrival in Portugal’s red and green colors. Thousands gathered outside the team’s downtown hotel, and the street reportedly erupted when Ronaldo stepped onto a balcony of the Delta Hotel. On match day, with Portugal’s Portuguese diaspora driving momentum in a city where roughly 448,000 people are of Portuguese origin, crowds flooded downtown as the match began. Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 on Thursday, with Ronaldo scoring from a penalty and performing his signature celebration, while fans described the atmosphere as continuing beyond the stadium.