Ecuadorian expat shocked by 'third-world' conditions in Toronto as World Cup visitors delighted by American culture

As international visitors flood North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, social media has become filled with tourists sharing their impressions of the continent. In the United States, many visitors have gone viral praising American hospitality, food, infrastructure, and friendliness.

In Canada, however, reactions have differed. An Ecuadorian influencer, Alejandro Vivar, was left shocked and appalled by what he found upon his arrival in Toronto. "Toronto is one of the dirtiest [places]," he said in a video that has since gone viral online. "It doesn't even feel like it's a first-world country."

Standing in downtown Toronto near Yonge-Dundas Square, one of the city's most prominent tourist destinations, the tourist pointed to visible homelessness, garbage, drug users, and people suffering apparent mental health crises. "You don't see this in Ecuador. Look. Do you see this in Ecuador?" Vivar said in a post on Instagram. "This is downtown. This is like the flagship. Yonge and Dundas. This is the flagship of Toronto," he added . "And there's literally garbage, crackheads, crazy people, people talking to themselves. Coming from Quito, Quito is way more civilized. This is a f*cking mess."

Canadian politicians and media figures have consistently been portraying the country as cleaner, safer, and better governed than much of the developing world. However, this visitor from South America arriving in Canada's largest city could not conceal his shock at conditions he said were worse than those he experiences at home in Ecuador.

In comparison, the reactions many foreign World Cup fans have had while traveling in the United States have been overwhelmingly positive. Many have expressed surprise and gratitude at what they have encountered upon their arrival in the US. British entrepreneur Marina De Buchi mirrored researcher Dr. Rachel Fu's comments to ABC that visitors from Scotland, Brazil and Japan have been blown away by "giant supermarket aisles, free ice water, refillable drinks [and] cheerful grocery clerks". De Buchi said reactions from visitors mirror her own when she first moved to the US. "I think Americans are just really nice and friendly," she said.

Similarly, a South African tourist went viral after sharing his positive experience in the US during the World Cup kickoff. "We were driving [13 hours] from Washington D.C. to Alabama," he said. "Every white South African knows that you are an idiot if you drive at night in South Africa. It's extremely dangerous. That's why I'm enjoying the freedoms of America, it is unfathomable. We don't have to walk around in fear. So let's just take a minute and appreciate America for being absolutely safe and absolutely awesome."

A tourist from Australia was also amazed by Texas Roadhouse, where he was taken by surprise that every customer got bread for free before they were ordering their food.