Tiara Van Zeben, on the left, and their friend represent France in a matching dress and mini skirt, with stylish wigs at Toronto's FIFA Fan Festival on June 26, 2026. 📸 Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
Toronto showed the world how well it can clean up for the FIFA World Cup, but the outfits cleared the stage.
From embroidered skirts to special edition soccer jerseys, World Cup fan outfits across Toronto have been absolutely jaw-dropping.
Associate Editor Julia Lawrence and I walked around the city looking for some of the best fashion.
In stopping strangers on the street, we connected with people that came from far to experience the city in all its glory. We listened to what they loved most about Toronto, what restaurants they’ve tried and how excited they’ve been for their country playing in the World Cup.
But back to their outfits, it’s not just about the fashion.
Clothing is a reflection of histories, cultures and individual stories — connecting people to their home countries beyond borders. And it’s obvious in the photos of people we’ve decided to capture. Each person included was visibly proud of their heritage.
For some, this pride is held closer because they come from countries that have experienced long-term conflict. The phrase “existence is resistance” is one I frequently use, and some of the people, like the Iraqis on this list, incorporate fashion and identity to show that.
Mohamad Al Rubeii, an Iraqi-Canadian visiting from Ottawa says it best: “We come from a war-torn country. This gives us an opportunity to celebrate our country, be proud of where we came from and just have a good time.”
“This means everything to us,” he adds.
Mohamad Al Rubeii and his friend pose in their custom Iraqi-themed shirts for the game of Iraq versus Senegal on June 26, 2026. Al Rubeii says he’s there to support his homeland and that his shirt was painted by his mother. On the back of the shirt, “Labayk Ya Hussein” is written in Arabic — it’s a religious speech that translates to: “I’m at your service, oh Hussein,” and refers to Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. His death anniversary overlaps with Iraq playing in the World Cup, a country that is primarily Shia.
“This is priceless,” Al Rubeii, an Iraqi-Canadian, says about the shirt his mother painted. “You can’t find it anywhere, you can’t buy it. This is custom-made.” 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Arijana Bradley, who’s Bosnian and visiting Toronto from New York City, poses in her custom Bosnia shirt and skirt for the first game held in Canada on June 12, 2026.
Bradley made her shirt, which features lyrics from a popular Bosnian song, “I Am From Bosnia, Take Me to America” She also embroidered her skirt with the Bosnian lily, which signifies hope and resilience in face of the suffering of the Bosnian genocide. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Justin Larocque and Ramon Bermudez are from Mexico, but live in Montreal. They showed their Mexico jerseys — which are the 2022 design for away games — before heading into Fan Fest on June 12, 2026. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Ali Hasan poses in a light blue Iraqi shirt that matches his shoes, with a red keffiyeh tucked into the pocket of his shorts.
His shirt is from Shabab International — an Iraqi designer who held a pop-up in Toronto right before the Iraq versus France game.
The keffiyeh is a headscarf that originates as far back as 3100 BC in what’s known as modern-day Iraq. It’s been worn across the Arab world for centuries and has become a symbol of support for the Palestinian cause. The checkered scarf got its political meaning during the Arab Revolt against the British mandate in 1936. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Merziya Hussein also rocks a red keffiyeh with her “Lions of Mesopotamia” shirt from Shabab International at the FIFA Fan Fest.
“Lions of Mesopotamia” is a historical symbol that’s now used to refer to Iraqi athletes and their fans. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Olivia Wolfs from Delaware, Ont. shows off her Canada-themed fit and red cowboy boots for the first FIFA game held in Toronto before heading into a bar to watch the game on June 12, 2026. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Giovanna Genaro Silva shows off a crocheted top featuring the Brazilian flag and a yellow purse during a match screening on June 25, 2026 at Nathan Phillips Square. She’s visiting from Sao Paulo, but had lived in Toronto for four years for university. She came to visit her friends and walk across the stage for graduation. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Prince Bimbos poses in a Canada themed outfit at FIFA Fan Fest on June 26, 2026. He’s wearing a Canada shirt, but you could easily mistake his shorts as the U.S. flag. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.Sébastian Simon poses in a decked out France-themed outfit for the France versus Norway game at FIFA Fan Fest on June 26, 2026. The French flag is draped along his shoulders like a cape and the red, blue and white hat compliment it. 📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
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