BMO Field facts for kids

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BMO Field

BMO Field in May 2016
BMO Field Location in Toronto Show map of Toronto BMO Field Location in Southern Ontario Show map of Southern Ontario BMO Field Location in Ontario Show map of Ontario BMO Field Location in Canada Show map of Canada
Address	170 Princes' Boulevard
Location	Toronto, Ontario
Coordinates	43°37′59.6″N 79°25′06.9″W / 43.633222°N 79.418583°W / 43.633222; -79.418583
Public transit	Exhibition  509  Harbourfront  511  Bathurst  29  TTC buses
Owner	City of Toronto
Operator	Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Capacity	28,180
Record attendance	40,148 (NHL Centennial Classic)
Field size	105 × 68 metres (115 x 74 yards) (soccer) 146 x 65 yards (134 × 59 metres) (Canadian football)
Surface	FieldTurf (2007–2009) Kentucky bluegrass (2010–2019) Hybrid grass (2019–present)
Construction
Broke ground	March 29, 2006
Opened	April 28, 2007
Expanded	2010 2014–16
Construction cost	Can$62.9 million ($79.9 million in 2021 dollars ) Renovations: 2010: $5.5 million ($6.68 million in 2021 dollars ) Expansions: 2014–2016: $120 million ($146 million in 2021 dollars )
Architect	Brisbin Brooks Beynon Architects (BBB Architects), Gensler (expansion)
Project manager	PMX, Inc.
Structural engineer	Halcrow Yolles
Services engineer	The Mitchell Partnership Inc.
General contractor	PCL Construction
Tenants
Toronto FC (MLS) 2007–present Canada soccer team 2007–present (intermittent) Toronto Argonauts (CFL) 2016–present Toronto Nationals (MLL) 2009 Toronto FC II (USL) 2018

BMO Field is a large outdoor stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at Exhibition Place. The stadium opened in 2007. It is the home field for two major sports teams:

• Toronto FC, a soccer team in Major League Soccer (MLS).
• Toronto Argonauts, a Canadian football team in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The City of Toronto owns BMO Field. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) manages it. MLSE also owns both Toronto FC and the Argonauts. The stadium is named after the Bank of Montreal, often called "BMO".

BMO Field is one of two Canadian stadiums chosen to host games for the exciting 2026 FIFA World Cup. To get ready for this big event, the stadium's seating capacity will be temporarily increased to 45,736 seats.

The stadium was first built for soccer, specifically for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. It also hosted games for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. BMO Field has hosted the MLS Cup finals multiple times, including Toronto FC's wins. It has also hosted rugby union games, including matches for Canada's national team.

Between 2014 and 2016, BMO Field had big renovations. These changes added more seats and a roof. The field was also made longer to fit Canadian football games. This allowed the Toronto Argonauts to move to BMO Field in 2016. That year, the stadium also hosted the 104th Grey Cup, a major Canadian football championship.

Building BMO Field

BMO Field is the fifth stadium built in its exact spot at Exhibition Place. The stadium before it was Exhibition Stadium, which was torn down in 1999.

In the early 2000s, many ideas for a new stadium in Toronto were discussed. The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) wanted a stadium for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At the same time, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) wanted a stadium for a new Major League Soccer (MLS) team.

Eventually, MLSE and the CSA partnered to build a new stadium at Exhibition Place. The total cost was about $62.9 million Canadian dollars. The Canadian government, the Ontario government, and the City of Toronto all helped pay for it. The City of Toronto owns the stadium. MLSE also contributed money and got the rights to manage the stadium.

MLSE then sold the naming rights to the Bank of Montreal (BMO). This is why it's called BMO Field. The stadium was designed to meet FIFA standards for soccer. It has red seats, with a large maple leaf design on one side and "TORONTO" on another.

On May 11, 2006, MLS announced that Toronto FC would join the league in 2007. BMO Field became their home stadium.

Stands at BMO Field shortly after it opened in 2007. The stadium first had 25,000 seats.

Stadium Upgrades

BMO Field first had an artificial turf field. But in 2010, it was changed to natural grass. MLSE paid $3.5 million for this upgrade. A special type of grass called Kentucky Bluegrass was planted. A new drainage and heating system was also added to the field.

MLSE also spent more money to add 1,400 seats to the north end of the stadium. By the end of 2010, these renovations cost about $5.5 million.

BMO Field in November 2010. The stadium had recently switched to natural grass.

Big Renovations for Canadian Football

In 2014, MLSE started planning a huge renovation for BMO Field. The City of Toronto wanted the stadium to be able to host Canadian football games. This was important because the Toronto Argonauts needed a new home.

The upgrades cost between $115–120 million. They added a new upper deck on the east side, increasing the seating capacity for soccer to 30,000. For Canadian football, it could hold 26,500 seats. The stadium can also be temporarily expanded to 40,000 seats for big events.

A roof was added over most of the seating areas. The field was also lengthened to fit a Canadian football field. MLSE made sure the soccer playing surface remained natural grass. A special heating system and lighting were installed to help the grass grow.

In 2015, Bell Canada and Kilmer Group bought a part of the Argonauts team. They agreed to move the team to BMO Field for the 2016 CFL season. They also helped pay for the stadium's conversion costs. The renovations were completed, costing a total of $150 million.

In 2019, the field was updated again to a hybrid grass surface. This type of grass has artificial fibers mixed in to make it stronger.

BMO Field in June 2016. The stadium's seating capacity was increased after a big expansion.

Recent News and Future Plans

In 2018, Toronto FC II, a development team for Toronto FC, played some of its home games at BMO Field.

BMO Field was chosen to host several matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city of Toronto and MLSE are investing in more upgrades for the stadium. These include a new rooftop patio, team dugouts, and new video screens. The stadium's capacity will be temporarily expanded to 45,736 seats for the World Cup. Canada's men's national soccer team will play its opening match there on June 12, 2026. In total, BMO Field will host six World Cup games.

Stadium History: Soccer

Toronto FC celebrating their 2017 MLS Eastern Conference championship win at BMO Field.

Toronto FC played its first game at BMO Field on April 28, 2007. The official grand opening was on May 12, 2007.

The 2008 MLS All-Star Game was held at BMO Field. It featured MLS All-Stars playing against West Ham United from England.

BMO Field has hosted several MLS Cup finals. In 2010, it was the first stadium outside the United States to host the MLS Cup. Toronto FC played in the MLS Cup finals at BMO Field in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Toronto FC won the MLS Cup, becoming the first Canadian team to do so.

On July 17, 2021, Toronto FC played its first home game at BMO Field after being away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 19, 2025, AFC Toronto played its first-ever match at BMO Field against Montreal Roses FC.

2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup

BMO Field hosted the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. This was the first major tournament held at the stadium. The Canadian Under-20 team played one game here. The stadium also hosted six knockout stage games, including the final. Argentina won the final. During the event, the stadium was called the "National Soccer Stadium" because of FIFA rules.

Date	Winning Team	Result	Losing Team	Tournament	Spectators
July 1, 2007	Canada	0–3	Chile	Group A	20,195
July 2, 2007	Portugal	2–0	New Zealand	Group C	19,526
	Gambia	0–3	Mexico
July 5, 2007	New Zealand	0–1	Gambia
	Mexico	2–1	Portugal
July 8, 2007	Chile	0–0	Austria	Group A
July 11, 2007	United States	2–1 (aet)	Uruguay	Round of 16
July 12, 2007	Argentina	3–1	Poland
July 14, 2007	Austria	2–1	United States	Quarter-finals
July 19, 2007	Chile	0–3	Argentina	Semi-finals
July 22, 2007	Chile	1–0	Austria	Third place match
	Czech Republic	1–2	Argentina	Final	19,526

A game between the New Zealand and Portugal U-20 soccer teams at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

BMO Field also hosted games for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The Canadian women's U-20 team played their first two matches in Toronto. The stadium also hosted a quarter-final game.

Date	Winning Team	Result	Losing Team	Tournament	Spectators
August 5, 2014	Canada	0–1	Ghana	Group A	20,195
	Finland	1–2	North Korea
August 8, 2014	Canada	3–2	Finland
	Ghana	0–3	North Korea
August 13, 2014	South Korea	2–1	Mexico	Group C
	Costa Rica	0–3	New Zealand	Group D
August 16, 2014	North Korea	1–1 (3–1 p)	United States	Quarter-finals

Other Soccer Tournaments

BMO Field has hosted matches for other international soccer tournaments:

• 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
• Campeones Cup (a match between the MLS champion and Mexico's Liga MX champion)
• 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup

2026 FIFA World Cup Matches

BMO Field will host six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. During the World Cup, it will be called "Toronto Stadium."

Date	Time	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Attendance
June 12, 2026	--:--	Canada	–	B2	Group B
June 17, 2026	--:--	TBD	–	TBD	Group L
June 20, 2026	--:--	TBD	–	TBD	Group E
June 23, 2026	--:--	TBD	–	TBD	Group L
June 26, 2026	--:--	TBD	–	TBD	Group I
July 2, 2026	--:--	Runner-up Group K	–	Runner-up Group L	Round of 32

Friendly Soccer Matches

BMO Field has also hosted many friendly soccer matches between famous clubs from around the world and Toronto FC.

Date	Winning Team	Result	Losing Team	Tournament	Spectators
May 23, 2007	Toronto FC	0–0	Benfica	Club friendly	18,730
July 25, 2007	Aston Villa	4–2	Toronto FC	Club friendly	20,147
August 7, 2009	Real Madrid	5–1	Toronto FC	Club friendly	22,089
September 2, 2009	Benfica	3–1	Celtic	Club friendly	12,403
May 23, 2010	Panathinaikos	0–0	Benfica	Club friendly	10,603
July 22, 2010	Bolton Wanderers	1–1 (aet) 4–3 (p)	Toronto FC	Club friendly	19,507
August 7, 2013	Roma	4–1	Toronto FC	Club friendly	18,274
July 23, 2014	Tottenham Hotspur	3–2	Toronto FC	Club friendly	22,591
July 25, 2014	Olympiacos	3–0	Milan	2014 International Champions Cup	10,603
May 27, 2015	Manchester City	1–0	Toronto FC	Club friendly	23,169
July 18, 2015	Paris Saint-Germain	3–2	Benfica	2015 International Champions Cup	17,843

Stadium History: Canadian Football

BMO Field set up for Canadian football during the 104th Grey Cup.

The Toronto Argonauts moved to BMO Field for the 2016 CFL season. On October 1, 2015, the Argonauts were chosen to host the 104th Grey Cup at the stadium. This big championship game took place on November 27, 2016.

The Argonauts played their first game at BMO Field on June 11, 2016. It was a preseason game, and they won against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Their first regular season game was on June 23, but they lost to the Ti-Cats.

Because of how the stands are built, the end zones for Canadian football are 18 yards deep. This is a little shorter than the usual 20 yards.

Stadium History: Rugby

The stadium's field set up for a rugby game in June 2013.

BMO Field has also been a home for Canada's national rugby union team. The team played many games there from 2011 to 2016.

During the 2015 Pan American Games, BMO Field hosted the rugby sevens competition. For this event, the stadium was called "Exhibition Stadium."

Date	Away	Score	Home	Attendance
August 6, 2011	United States	22–28	Canada	10,621
June 15, 2012	Italy	25–16	Canada	12,220
June 15, 2013	Ireland	40–14	Canada	20,396
August 24, 2013	United States	11–13	Canada	10,207
November 3, 2013	Māori All Blacks	40–15	Canada	22,566
June 14, 2014	Scotland	19–17	Canada	18,788
July 29, 2015	Samoa	21–20	Canada	11,200
June 26, 2016	Italy	20–18	Canada	13,125

Stadium History: Lacrosse

In 2009, the Toronto Nationals lacrosse team played their home games at BMO Field. They were part of Major League Lacrosse.

Stadium History: Hockey

Warm-ups at the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic.

On January 1, 2017, BMO Field hosted a special outdoor hockey game called the NHL Centennial Classic. This game celebrated 100 years of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL. The Leafs played against the Detroit Red Wings. For this event, the stadium was called "Exhibition Stadium."

Date	Away team	Result	Home team	Spectators
December 31, 2016	Detroit Red Wings Alumni	4–3	Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni	–
January 1, 2017	Detroit Red Wings	4–5 (OT)	Toronto Maple Leafs	40,148

Concerts and Events

The only music concert held at BMO Field was by the rock band Genesis on September 7, 2007.

Firsts at BMO Field

• The first goal at BMO Field was scored by Eddie Johnson for the Kansas City Wizards on April 28, 2007.
• The first goal for Toronto FC at the stadium was scored by Danny Dichio on May 12, 2007.
• The first goal by a Canadian player at BMO Field was David Edgar's penalty kick on May 11, 2007.
• The first Toronto FC MLS playoff goal was scored by Sebastian Giovinco on October 26, 2016.
• In Canadian football, the first points for the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field were a touchdown pass caught by Vidal Hazelton on June 11, 2016.

Attendance Records

The biggest crowd ever at BMO Field was 40,148 people. This happened on January 1, 2017, for the NHL Centennial Classic hockey game.

For a Major League Soccer game, the largest crowd was 36,045. This was for the 2016 MLS Cup final on December 10, 2016.

The largest crowd for a Canadian Football League game was 33,421. This was for the 104th Grey Cup on November 27, 2016.

For all these record-breaking games, the stadium was temporarily expanded to hold more people.

MLS Attendance

Notes:
¹ One Toronto FC home match played at BMO Field before the season was changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
² Limited capacity for regular season home matches after Match 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CFL Attendance

Notes:
¹ 104th Grey Cup game between the Ottawa Redblacks and Calgary Stampeders.
² Limited capacity for all regular season games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rugby Attendance

The largest crowd for rugby at BMO Field was 22,566 people. This happened on November 3, 2013, when the Canada national rugby union team played against the New Zealand Māori All Blacks.

See also

In Spanish: BMO Field para niños

• List of Canadian Football League stadiums
• List of Major League Soccer stadiums
• List of soccer stadiums in Canada
• Venues of the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games
• Lists of stadiums