John Cena, Alan Ritchson & more stars, Canada Reviews

We’re nearing the end of August, and that means tens of thousands of pop culture fans will once again flock to downtown Toronto for FAN EXPO Canada. This is the largest comics/sci-fi/anime/gaming exhibit in the country, and this year it takes place Aug. 27 to Aug. 30, 2026, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Fans can expect some heavy hitters to grace the MTCC, including the Lord of the Rings cast (hello, Elijah Wood), John Cena, Alan Ritchson, the faces behind famous anime voices, gaming influencers and even a few controversial names to round up the lineup!

Before you head over, here’s everything you need to know about FAN EXPO Canada 2026.

What is FAN EXPO Canada?

This four-day celebration pretty much covers every corner of pop culture fandom, including comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming and cosplay. It’s huge, with about 135,000 fans, as well as celebrity guests, comic creators and voice actors expected to attend. It’s a perfect time to grab an autograph from (or take a photo with) your fave celeb, drop in on a Q&A session, or even take part in cosplay competitions and gaming activities.

What celebrities will attend FAN EXPO Canada 2026?

Among this year’s headliners are WWE star/actor John Cena, who’s appearing Sun. Aug. 30, Reacher star Alan Ritchson, who’s on for Saturday, and cast reunions featuring stars from Lord of the Rings, Starship Troopers and the Goonies! Mel Gibson is also making an appearance on Saturday.

As of publication, the celebrity lineup includes:

• John Cena (WWE, Peacemaker, The Suicide Squad, Fast & Furious), appearing Sunday.
• Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, Mad Max), appearing Saturday.
• Erin Moriarty (The Boys), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Alan Ritchson (Reacher, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), appearing Saturday.
• Mr. T (Rocky III, The A-Team, professional wrestling), appearing Thursday-Sunday.
• Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, Stranger Things), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones), appearing Thursday-Sunday.
• Billy Boyd (The Lord of the Rings, Chucky), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings, Lost), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden musician and writer, appearing Friday.
• Dean Norris (Breaking Bad, Total Recall, Under the Dome), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Christopher Judge (Stargate SG-1), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Colin O’Donoghue (Once Upon a Time), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Christopher Lambert (Highlander, Mortal Kombat), appearing Thursday and Friday.
• Corey Feldman (The Goonies, The Lost Boys), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Denise Richards (Starship Troopers), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Michael Ironside (Starship Troopers), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers, Saw), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Jake Busey (Starship Troopers), appearing Friday through Sunday.
• William Fichtner (Armageddon, Prison Break), appearing Friday and Saturday.
• David Wenham (The Lord of the Rings, 300), appearing Friday through Sunday.
• Oded Fehr (The Mummy, Resident Evil), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Brendan Wayne (The Mandalorian), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Brenton Thwaites (Titans, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), appearing Friday-Sunday.
• Catherine Bell (Good Witch, JAG), appearing Saturday and Sunday.
• Ari Millen (Ice Cream Man), appearing Friday and Sunday.
• Rob Colletti (One Piece, School of Rock: The Musical), appearing Thursday-Sunday.
• Richard Harmon (Memory of a Killer, Final Destination: Bloodlines), appearing Sunday.
• W. Earl Brown (Scream), appearing Thursday and Friday.
• Alessandro Juliani (Battlestar Galactica), appearing Thursday-Sunday.

… and that’s still not the entire lineup! Check out the full list of attendees here.

Biggest highlights of FAN EXPO Canada 2026

It’s going to be a huge weekend for Lord of the Rings fans. Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan are reuniting as part of the film’s 25th anniversary celebrations, with An Evening with the Hobbits scheduled for Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. (Saturday’s event is currently sold out as of publication!). If you’re feeling hungry, the four stars are also hosting Second Breakfast, An Unexpected Feast with the Hobbits at the InterContinental Toronto on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 8 a.m.

John Cena will take centre stage for John Cena Live on Sunday at 4:15 p.m., with autograph sessions and photo-ops alongside the live event!

For our Heated Rivalry fans, the MTCC will host a ‘Face Off Like Hollanov: Heated Rivalry Trivia’ event on Sunday, with giveaways and meet-and-greets with fellow Reheaters (this event will apparently have you swooning like Ilya when Shane wears his glasses).

How to get to FAN EXPO Canada 2026

The MTCC is right downtown, so getting to the show should be easy enough (if possible, skip the car):

TTC: Head to Union Station. From there, you can walk west along Front Street to the convention centre’s North Building or follow the indoor SkyWalk to access the North or South Building.

GO Transit: FAN EXPO Canada has again partnered with Metrolinx on a GO Add-On Ticket that includes round-trip travel from any GO station to Union Station.

From Pearson: The UP Express runs between Pearson Airport and Union Station, putting you within walking distance of the convention centre (the trip takes about 28 minutes).

By car: The MTCC has indoor parking in both its North and South Buildings (the entrance is at 255 Front St. W. for the North Building and 222 Bremner Blvd. for the South Building).

How much are FAN EXPO Canada 2026 tickets?

Single-day general admission starts at $41 for Thursday. Friday admission is $51, Saturday is $73, and Sunday is $56. Or make it a weekend and grab a four-day pass for $139, which also includes access to the special Thursday preview at 2 p.m. and a limited-edition FAN EXPO Canada T-shirt!

Youth tickets for Thursday and Friday are currently sold out, but Saturday and Sunday youth passes are available for $63 and $46.

Family passes cover two adults and up to four children ages six to 12 and are available for $87 Thursday, $107 Friday and $117 Sunday. A child pass for ages six to 12 costs $12 and is valid for all four days, while kids five and under can attend for free.

FAN EXPO Canada takes place Thursday, Aug. 27 through Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W. Show hours are 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. VIP, Ultimate and advance-purchase four-day pass holders can also access a special Thursday preview beginning at 2 p.m.

Click here for more info on ticket packages or follow @fanexpocanada on Instagram for updates.