$1125
Raised
144
Days left
21
Backers
$53.57
Average pledge
About This Project
SUPPORT WRESTLEFEST TORONTO 2026
Welcome to the community fundraiser for WrestleFest Toronto 2026. When Toronto launched as the first WrestleFest outside of New York back in 2023, about 100 wrestlers came together to meet, wrestle, and build friendships. Two years later, that number has grown to nearly 300 participants from around the world. The success of Toronto helped inspire new WrestleFests in Berlin, Chicago and Birmingham, turning what was once a small gathering into a growing international community.
Today, we’re asking your help to keep this momentum going.
WHY WE’RE CROWDFUNDING
For the past few years, MeetFighters and WatchFighters have generously supported WrestleFest Toronto, allowing us to expand while keeping many of our events free and ticketed events affordable. Their support last year helped us add more open mats, nightly social events, an extra day of programming, and our December Winter Rumble event. Without their support, ticket revenue would have needed to double to cover all our costs.
This year, we’re introducing a community fundraiser to help keep WrestleFest Toronto affordable for you and support future WrestleFests around the world. While MeetFighters has committed to supporting us 100% again this year, your donation helps raise money back so they can continue supporting the growing number of WrestleFests.
WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES
Running WrestleFest involves significant behind-the-scenes costs, including:
- Venue rental fees
- Mats, cleaning supplies and other equipment
- Insurance and legal/safety requirements
- Operations (including advertising, event promotion and swag)
- Community programming and social events
Organizers also contribute their own time and money to make our events possible. Your donation helps ensure that WrestleFest Toronto remains accessible and fun for all of us.
A PERSONAL NOTE
Like many people in this community, I grew up in a small city thinking I might be the only one into wrestling. Finding MeetFighters changed that. I realized I wasn’t just some strange kid and that there’s a whole community out there. While in university, I’d drive over 3 hours to meet guys to wrestle.
When I attended my first WrestleFest in 2016, long before WrestleFest was ever an official event,. It delivered something I didn’t realize I needed: a space where my wrestling passion made sense and was understood.
WrestleFest Toronto was created and continues to exist so more people can experience that same feeling. To all you wrestlers out there, you’re not alone anymore. We are here and our community is growing.
If being part of MeetFighters and WrestleFest has meant something to you, I encourage you to donate so we can continue to bring wrestlers from around the world and have a great time together.
FIRST MATCH
0 backers
Every donation counts. Thank you for helping support our wrestling community.
- Profile name on our thank you message after the event.
KEEP US HYDRATED
5 backers
Buy us water for open mats
- Includes all perks from previous tiers
TAG TEAM PARTNER
12 backers
Not everyone has what it takes to be a good tag team partner. If even half of everyone who participated last year contributed this amount, we would have the fest, the ring, and Winter Rumble fully funded!
- Includes all perks from previous tiers
- Name on the tag team partner board at the opening party
MAT ENFORCER
4 backers
You must really be a serious wrestler to donate this amount. This donation helps us get open mat cleaning supplies and ship the mats to each event.
- Includes all perks from previous tiers
- WrestleFest Toronto swag
OPEN MAT CHAMP
0 backers
Wow, you're truly a champ for supporting us. If 4 people give this amount, we would cover our insurance costs for the whole fest.
- Includes all perks from previous tiers
- Special champion wristband and a free drink on the organizers
TITLE HOLDER
0 backers
Wow, you really are the ALPHA of WrestleFest! Donating this amount helps cover all our printing, advertising, and giveaway item costs. If 2 people donated this amount, we could even bring in a pro ring, you champs!
- Includes all perks from previous tiers
- Custom WrestleFest Toronto singlet
Stretch Goals
Help us unlock additional features and content!
This is the main goal of the project. If we reach this goal, the project will be completed.
THE PRO RING STRETCH GOAL
Each year, one of the #1 questions we get asked is if we will have access to a pro-ring.
Renting a ring includes major additional costs and logistics for us, including rental fees, transportation, labour costs for setup and takedown, and additional insurance fees. We are seriously exploring the capability of renting a ring for the fest this year, but need your support to make it happen.
If for whatever reason (lack of availability, insurance issues, etc.) we cannot obtain a ring, any funds raised will be put directly towards next year's fest.
Update on 2026-04-02
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING WRESTLEFEST TORONTO 2026
It's been brought to our attention that those who have donated through WatchFighters have received repeated messages noting a "last chance to donate" and with prompts asking to increase your donation. Please note that these messages were automatically generated through WatchFighters, without the knowledge or input of our team.
We have reached out to WatchFighters to have the messages removed from the campaign. We understand that giving to campaigns such as this is not easy for many of you. We truly appreciate all of your support and look forward to putting on our best fest yet this year.
See you on the mats!