Swimbappe the Goldfish Becomes Toronto’s Unlikely World Cup Oracle

Swimbappe (styled Swimbappé) is a goldfish kept in a tank shaped like a soccer pitch outside the CBC building at John Street and Wellington West, Toronto. For each World Cup match, two national flags are placed above the tank; the fish swims left or right to indicate its pick. So far it has recorded 14 correct choices, four errors and ten draws.

The Independent

The idea was launched by Tim Glenn, creative director of OneMethod. After reviewing nearly one hundred names, he chose “Swimbappe,” referencing French striker Kylian Mbappé. Glenn said the installation lets Toronto join the World Cup buzz, echoing earlier animal predictors such as Paul the Octopus, famous in 2010.

The Independent

The Independent records 14 correct predictions, four errors and ten draws, yielding a 70 % win rate when draws are excluded. CBC News, cited by Now Toronto, reports the fish has been right about 70 % of the time overall. The difference lies in whether draws are counted.

Now Magazine

A small crowd gathers daily, and schoolchildren chant “Swimbappe! Swimbappe!” as the fish makes its choice. Passers-by pause to watch on their commute. Instagram users have posted jokes praising the fish’s reliability over analysts and have dubbed it “the all-knowing goldfish.”

Now Magazine

Glenn says draws are hard for the fish to signal because its body language cannot clearly convey a tie, and he frames the aquarium as a way to celebrate the tournament. After Swimbappe chose Haiti over Brazil, Glenn said there’s “a method to his madness” and urged fans to “trust his process and believe in Swimbappe.”

The Independent

The sources do not provide information on any formal statistical testing of the fish’s predictions, leaving uncertainty about whether its success exceeds chance. The Independent’s record excludes draws, while CBC’s includes them, leading to slightly different success rates.

Now Magazine

• “The draws are a little bit difficult for him to communicate to us with his fish body,” — Tim Glenn, Creative Director, OneMethod

The Independent

• “This is kind of our way of participating in this big cultural moment that's happening for our city here in Toronto and also for our country here in Canada,” — Tim Glenn

The Independent

• “Everyone's excited to see him in the window on their way to work or on their way to a game,” — Tim Glenn

The Independent

• “Consulting the fish is still more reliable than most sports analysts ?” — Instagram user

Now Magazine

Swimbappe will continue to make daily predictions throughout the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with observers awaiting its next choice for each upcoming match.

Now Magazine