BMO Field Completes $146 Million World Cup Upgrade, Expanding Capacity to 44,000
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 8
BMO Field Completes $146 Million World Cup Upgrade, Expanding Capacity to 44,000
1 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 8
Summary
$146 million in renovations have been completed at Toronto’s BMO Field, adding 16,100 temporary seats and lifting capacity from 30,000 to 44,000 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The work brings the city-owned venue up to FIFA standards with new video boards, a fresh playing surface, more suites and an expanded visitors’ locker room.
Toronto Stadium — the tournament name used because of sponsorship rules — will host Canada’s opening Group B match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 12.
BMO Field opened in 2007 as a 20,000-seat, $63 million stadium, and more than $300 million has since been spent on upgrades, much of it by operator Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
The venue’s long development was tied to Canada’s push to host FIFA events and secure an MLS club for Toronto, making it a turning point for soccer infrastructure in Canada.