Toronto's BMO field getting $146M facelift ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Ethan Lang · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 03, 2025 3:31 PM EST | Last Updated: March 4

The men's FIFA World Cup is astir a twelvemonth away, and the downtown Toronto stadium that volition play big to six tourney matches is getting a astir $150-million facelift.

At an announcement Monday, the metropolis revealed plans to upgrade BMO Field, which is owned by the metropolis and managed by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), into a premier venue capable of hosting the world's largest shot tournament. The metropolis and MLSE are spending $123 cardinal and $23 million, respectively.

The stadium's seating capableness is being accrued from adjacent to 30,000 to 45,000 — with 17,000 impermanent seats being added connected grandstands astatine the northbound and southbound ends of the tract — bringing it up to FIFA World Cup standards. 

Permanent changes see 4 caller videoboards as good arsenic upgrades to locker rooms, lighting, audio, broadcast infrastructure and stadium Wi-Fi, the metropolis says.

Monday's announcement astatine BMO Field, which the metropolis is referring to arsenic "Toronto Stadium" for the World Cup, was attended by Mayor Olivia Chow, FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto enforcement manager Sharon Bollenbach, MLSE CEO Nick Eaves and MP Adam van Koeverden, who is besides Parliamentary Secretary ro the Minister of Sport.

"It's going to supply fans, and anybody who comes to this stadium, with an enhanced acquisition and that's thing that's so, truthful special," van Koeverden said of the planned renovations. "We cognize that the 2026 [World Cup] will permission down imperishable improvements for Toronto FC and for aboriginal matches present successful Toronto and that's truly exciting."

Scheduled games to continue, immoderate gates could beryllium closed

New luxury boxes and a rooftop patio with capableness for 1,000 fans volition beryllium added to the northbound broadside of the stadium, the metropolis says on with a caller centre-field lounge connected the stadium's westbound side.

Then there's the tract itself, which the metropolis says volition besides beryllium upgraded to conscionable world-class standards.

Construction volition beryllium completed successful 2 phases, the metropolis says, with the archetypal already underway and ending successful August. The 2nd signifier volition instrumentality spot from December 2025 to March 2026 to guarantee enhancements are completed successful clip for the archetypal tourney lucifer successful June 2026.

During renovations, scheduled events similar Toronto FC and Argonauts games volition proceed without interruption, the metropolis says. Fans should program up though, the metropolis says, arsenic operation could interaction what gates are unfastened and closed during games.  

Every stadium among the 16 North American big cities is getting upgrades, Canadian shot officials said past year.

Cost of hosting much than 10 times what was projected

Hosting the tourney is expected to outgo the metropolis of Toronto $380 million, according to a 2024 report, a agelong mode from the archetypal projected costs successful 2018 of $30 to $45 million. 

The provincial and national governments person committed roughly $100 cardinal each to assistance the metropolis wage for the hosting gig.

The metropolis expects the tourney volition boost Toronto's GDP by astir $400 million, though FIFA released an economical interaction appraisal successful December that estimated that fig would beryllium person to $520 million. FIFA besides estimated the tourney would lend $340 cardinal in income for labourers and $25 cardinal to authorities revenue, according to metropolis merchandise that accompanied Monday's announcement.

Chow appeared to mention FIFA's appraisal Monday erstwhile she told reporters the lawsuit would bring astir $1 cardinal and thousands of jobs to Toronto's economy.

WATCH | Inflation raising costs for Toronto to big World Cup: 

In 2023, the metropolis signed a missive of intenet addressed to MLSE that says the institution volition service arsenic the task manager for upgrades to BMO Field and the MLSE grooming facilities successful Toronto's northbound end.

The metropolis volition divided nett gross with MLSE up to $10 million, according to the 2023 letter. If revenues transcend $10 cardinal they volition beryllium divided 60 per cent for the metropolis and 40 per cent for MLSE.

Tourney starts June 2026; Toronto 1 of 16 big cities

The tourney kicks disconnected June 11 with 2 matches successful Mexico, which volition big 13 matches astatine 3 antithetic venues.

The adjacent day, Toronto volition big the first-ever men's FIFA World Cup lucifer to beryllium played successful Canada. 

Toronto volition divided Canada's hosting duties with Vancouver. Each metropolis volition big 5 circular robin games. The cities volition each signifier a Round of 32 knockout crippled with Vancouver besides hosting a Round of 16 match.

WATCH | Canada hosting 13 FIFA World Cup matches successful 2026: 

The remaining 78 matches volition beryllium played successful 11 antithetic U.S. cities, including the title lucifer successful New Jersey.

The 104-match docket volition agelong retired implicit six weeks during June and July of 2026.