BC Place facts for kids
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Interior view during a Women's World Cup soccer match in June 2015
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 BC Place
Location in Vancouver (British Columbia)
BC Place
Location in Vancouver
BC Place
Location in British Columbia
BC Place
Location in Canada
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| Address |
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| Coordinates | 49°16′36″N 123°6′43″W / 49.27667°N 123.11194°W |
| Public transit |
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| Owner | Province of British Columbia |
| Operator | BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) |
| Executive suites | 50 |
| Capacity |
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| Record attendance | 65,061 (September 2, 2023, Ed Sheeran, +–=÷× Tour) |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction | |
| Opened | June 19, 1983 |
| Renovated |
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| Construction cost |
CA$307 million
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| Architect |
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| Tenants | |
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BC Place is a huge stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It's a "multi-purpose" stadium, which means it can host many different kinds of events. You can find it on the north side of False Creek. The government of British Columbia owns and runs it through a company called PavCo.
This stadium is home to two major sports teams. The BC Lions play CFL football here. The Vancouver Whitecaps FC play MLS soccer here. It also hosts the yearly Canada Sevens rugby tournament. You can even visit the BC Sports Hall of Fame inside!
BC Place first opened on June 19, 1983. It started with a special roof that was held up by air. It was the biggest air-supported roof in the world at that time. After the 2010 Winter Olympics, the stadium closed for over a year. It got a big makeover, and its old roof was replaced. The new roof can open and close, and it's also the largest of its kind!
BC Place was the main stadium for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It also hosted many important soccer games. This included the championship match for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. The stadium is also set to host several matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
History of BC Place
Building the Stadium and Early Years
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Building BC Place began in February 1981. It was part of getting ready for Expo 86, a big fair held in 1986. When it was finished in 1983, its roof was held up by air. This made it the largest stadium of its kind in the world for a while.
The stadium officially opened on June 19, 1983. The first big event was a soccer game the next day. The Vancouver Whitecaps played the Seattle Sounders. Over 60,000 fans came to watch! A few days later, the BC Lions played their first football game there.
Later that year, BC Place hosted the Soccer Bowl '83 and the 1983 Grey Cup football championship. In 1984, Pope John Paul II spoke to a crowd of 60,000 people. This was one of the biggest events ever held at the stadium.
The stadium was also used for the opening and closing ceremonies of Expo '86. In 1986, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the opening. BC Place also hosted special games for Australian rules football and the National Football League in the 1980s and 1990s.
Roof Trouble and Repairs
On January 5, 2007, a lot of snow piled up on the roof. This caused a tear in the fabric roof. Air started to escape, so workers carefully let all the air out. This protected the rest of the roof. No one was hurt during this event. The deflated roof rested on its support cables.
Workers quickly replaced the damaged part of the roof. The roof was inflated again on January 19. A new, permanent roof panel was put in place in June 2007. This was just before the 2007 CFL football season began.
Big Renovations and a New Roof
In 2008, plans were announced for a huge renovation of BC Place. It cost over $500 million! The work happened in two main parts. First, the stadium got better seats, washrooms, and food stands. This was ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Then, work began on a brand new roof in May 2010. The old air-supported roof was taken down. A new roof that can open and close was built. This new roof is supported by strong cables. It is the largest of its kind in the world! The opening in the roof is about the same size as the field below.
The updated stadium also got a giant new scoreboard. It's one of the biggest in North America! A new, high-quality artificial grass field was also installed. This field is designed to be excellent for professional soccer.
Many people praised the new design. They said it made the stadium feel brighter and sound much better. These were big improvements from the old roof.
Cool New Features After Renovation
- The new retractable roof is the largest cable-supported roof in the world.
- Old doors were replaced with clear glass doors, making it easier to enter.
- The old brown glass around the building was changed to light green glass. This lets in more light and makes the stadium brighter.
- The BC Lions locker room was completely updated and expanded.
- A new type of artificial turf was installed for the playing field.
- A huge high-definition scoreboard hangs in the center, measuring 68 by 38 feet.
- A long electronic ribbon board goes all the way around the stadium.
- Over 1,100 new HDTV screens were added.
- All the walkways inside the stadium were made wider and updated.
- More food stands were added.
- The stadium now has 50 updated private suites and 1,300 new premium seats.
- Wheelchair seating is available at all levels and prices.
- New washrooms, ramps, and lighting were installed.
- A new, modern sound system was put in.
- The seats are now wider (20 inches) and have cup holders.
- New sports lighting was added, which can turn on and off instantly.
Events After the Renovation
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BC Place hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in February 2010. It also hosted the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Paralympics in March 2010. It was the first stadium with an air-supported roof to host the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies.
In November 2011, the 47th Vanier Cup was played here. This is Canada's university football championship. It was a very exciting game, with McMaster winning in double overtime. This was the first championship played in the newly renovated stadium.
The stadium also hosted the final of the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The game between the United States and Canada had over 25,000 fans. This was the highest attendance for a women's CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying game.
In March 2014, BC Place hosted its first NHL game. The 2014 NHL Heritage Classic saw the Ottawa Senators play the Vancouver Canucks. It was the first NHL game ever played in a stadium with a retractable roof.
BC Place hosted its second major international sports event, the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Many games were played here in June 2015. The Final match between Japan and the United States was played on July 5, 2015. The stadium was temporarily renamed Christine Sinclair Place in December 2023. This was to honor Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair during her farewell tour.
The stadium also hosted a round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2016.
A new attendance record was set on September 2, 2023. Over 65,000 people came to see an Ed Sheeran concert. This broke the old record set by a U2 concert in 2009. In December 2024, BC Place hosted three shows for Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour.
Teams and Events at BC Place
The main sports teams that play at BC Place are the BC Lions (football) and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC (soccer). The Vancouver Nighthawks basketball team also played here in 1988.
Canadian Football at BC Place
The BC Lions have played at BC Place since it opened in 1983. They once had a record attendance of almost 60,000 fans for a few games in 1985 and 1986. When the stadium was built, the field was a bit too small. So, BC Place became the first CFL stadium to use a 20-yard end zone instead of the usual 25-yard one. This change was popular and later adopted by the whole league.
The stadium has hosted the CFL's championship game, the Grey Cup, ten times. This includes games in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1999, 2005, 2011, 2014, and 2024. A famous game was the 1994 championship. The hometown BC Lions won against the Baltimore Football Club with a last-second field goal. This kept the Grey Cup trophy in Canada! The Lions also won the 2011 Grey Cup at home after the new roof was finished.
Soccer at BC Place
Different versions of the Whitecaps soccer team have played at BC Place. The first Vancouver Whitecaps played here from 1983 to 1984. Their first game at BC Place in 1983 drew over 60,000 fans. The Soccer Bowl '83 championship game was also held here.
The stadium also hosted exhibition matches and games for the Canadian national team. In 2007, an exhibition match between the Whitecaps and the LA Galaxy drew over 48,000 fans. Many came to see star player David Beckham.
After the Whitecaps joined MLS, they usually only sold tickets for the lower part of the stadium. However, they broke their MLS attendance record in May 2024. Over 51,000 fans watched them play Inter Miami CF. They broke this record again in April 2025 with over 53,000 fans for a match against Miami.
On April 16, 2025, BC Place hosted the first-ever game for the Northern Super League. This is Canada's top women's soccer league. The hometown Vancouver Rise FC won 1-0 in front of over 14,000 fans.
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Games
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 8, 2015 |  Cameroon |
6–0 |  Ecuador |
Group C | 25,942 |
 Japan |
1–0 | .svg){kind=small} Switzerland |
25,942 | ||
| June 12, 2015 | Switzerland |
10–1 | Ecuador |
31,441 | |
| Japan |
2–1 | Cameroon |
31,441 | ||
| June 16, 2015 |  Nigeria |
0–1 |  United States |
Group D | 52,193 |
| June 21, 2015 | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
1–0 | Switzerland |
Round of 16 | 53,855 |
| June 23, 2015 | Japan |
2–1 |  Netherlands |
28,717 | |
| June 27, 2015 |  England |
2–1 | Canada |
Quarterfinal | 54,027 |
| July 5, 2015 | United States |
5–2 | Japan |
Final | 54,027 |
2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Game
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 17, 2025 |  Canada |
6–0 |  Honduras |
Group B | 24,286 |
2026 FIFA World Cup Matches
BC Place will host seven matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This includes five group stage games. Two of these will be home games for the Canada national team. It will also host two knockout stage matches. If Canada wins its group, it will play both of these knockout games at BC Place. The government estimates it will cost about $240–260 million to host these matches.
Baseball at BC Place
BC Place can also be set up for baseball games. It has special seats that can move to make room for a baseball field. The Vancouver Canadians baseball team played several games here in the 1980s. Many Major League Baseball (MLB) teams also played spring training games here. These included the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.
Rugby Union at BC Place
The Canadian national rugby union team has played several matches at BC Place since 2016.
| Date | Competition | Home | Score | Away | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2016 | Mid-year international | Canada |
26–22 |  Japan |
10,250 | |
| November 3, 2017 | End-of-year international | Canada |
9–51 |  Māori All Blacks |
29,480 | |
| January 27, 2018 | Rugby World Cup qualification match Americas Rugby Championship |
Canada |
29–38 |  Uruguay |
16,132 | |
| September 7, 2019 | RWC warm-up match | Canada |
15–20 |  United States |
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| October 30, 2020 | End-of-year internationals | Canada |
cancelled | United States |
N/A | N/A |
| August 25, 2024 | Pacific Nations Cup | Canada |
28–55 | Japan |
Getting to BC Place
It's easy to get to BC Place using public transportation. Two SkyTrain stations are close by. These are Stadium-Chinatown and Yaletown-Roundhouse. Many bus routes also stop near the stadium. You can even take a ferry or Aquabus to a dock nearby.
Awards for BC Place
- Project of the Year for the 2012 International Stadium Business Awards
- National Council of Structural Engineers Associations' 2012 Outstanding Project Award
- One of the 2012 Awards of Excellence from the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies, Canada
- The 2013 ENR Global Best Project Winner for Sports/Entertainment
See also
In Spanish: Estadio BC Place para niños
- List of Canadian Football League stadiums
- List of Major League Soccer stadiums
- List of soccer stadiums in Canada
