Public health agency says World Cup poses high risk of measles spread

OTTAWA — There is a high risk of measles transmission within Canada during the FIFA World Cup, an analysis by the Public Health Agency of Canada warned Thursday.

The federal agency completed its infectious disease risk assessment as officials prepare for thousands of players, staff and fans to converge on Toronto and Vancouver next month.

Health officials analyzed 14 pathogens that could be imported during the games, including avian and swine flu, mpox, Ebola virus, poliovirus and measles.

Measles is the agency’s top source of concern because of how widespread it is around the world and how easily the disease is transmitted through the air.

Mpox virus is next on the list but it poses only a moderate risk because it’s spread to close contacts like sexual partners or people in the same household.

“Measles is estimated to have a high likelihood of importation,” said the analysis, which also warned of “moderate impact on the population of a host city.”

Canada lost its measles elimination status last year after an outbreak persisted for more than a year.

That period when Canada was considered largely measles-free lasted from 1998 to 2024.

The health agency’s risk analysis said the highly contagious respiratory virus is largely circulating within specific groups of susceptible people right now.

Travel and fan activities related to the World Cup have raised fresh concerns, public health officials wrote, about newly importing the disease and its “potential spread into the broader population.”

That includes coming into contact with infected people at “stadiums, fan events, restaurants and bars,” as well as through the health system and public transportation, the analysis said.

More than 900 measles cases have been reported across seven jurisdictions in Canada so far this year, with the bulk of cases in Alberta and Manitoba.

Canada’s big measles outbreak, which surged throughout last year and spread to more than 5,000 people, is believed to stem from a New Brunswick case in fall of 2024, in which the infected person was exposed outside of the country.

The public health agency had previously stated measles was circulating mostly within “under-vaccinated communities” throughout last year.

Ontario’s measles outbreak was declared over last October.

Canada can only regain its measles-elimination status if transmission is interrupted for a full year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2026.

Canadian Press Staff, The Canadian Press