hawc
Senior Member
Last edited:
- Thread starter unimaginative2
- Start date
Civdis
Active Member
I note that the new renderings show grey seats. Are they replacing all of the seats in the stadium as part of the expansion?
narduch
Senior Member
Was wondering that too. For sure they have to get rid of the BMO pattern
kotsy
Senior Member
They've started building the framing for the screen on the north/west corner.
6ixGod
Active Member
Cool….still the worst looking stadium for the World Cup IMO.
Note: I staid the way it looks, not the pitch/playing surface, which is first class. I just wish the stadium resembled something normal. lol.
Note: I staid the way it looks, not the pitch/playing surface, which is first class. I just wish the stadium resembled something normal. lol.
GabrielHurl
Active Member
City of Toronto announces Fort York and The Bentway for its FIFA Fan Festival™ location
News Release May 7, 2025 The City of Toronto has confirmed Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway as the official venues for FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, marking a milestone in the city’s preparations to welcome the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The FIFA Fan Festival™ will bring fans together...
www.toronto.ca
narduch
Senior Member
A little surprised they didn't just use the Ex grounds
daptive
Senior Member
Wonder if they need that space for broadcasters and support vehicles
guavadelic
Active Member
Or even Nathan Phillips Square. Fort York is an odd pick.
Aplus23
Active Member
I went for my first time, walked the wrong way to get to sec 205 and took forever to actually find how to get there. Part of the reason was the construction going on. I ended up going into one of the suites and had a lovely time at the TFC game so my experience was cool.
More screens should be added, & they should do a better job of hiding the metal stands. It's pretty cool to have a soccer/football stadium in the middle of the city tho. The more they renovate the better.
More screens should be added, & they should do a better job of hiding the metal stands. It's pretty cool to have a soccer/football stadium in the middle of the city tho. The more they renovate the better.
SubHuman
Active Member
The last World Cup match at BMO Field will be 02 July 2026, while the Fan Festival presumably continues until the final on 19 July 2026.
Being outside of Exhibition Place will have it out of the way of finishing setting up the IndyCar track, with the July 18-19 weekend being a likely date for the 2026 Toronto Indy race, since the 2025 date is the July 19-20 weekend.
Green-Savoree Racing Promotions, who operate the Toronto event and some others in the U.S., apparently said recently that the Toronto one will happen as usual in 2026.
And presumaby, after being kept away from BMO Field for some time by the World Cup, Toronto FC and Toronto Argonauts would want to return to having home games as soon as possible, and may want their own pre-game fan activities outside the stadium.
Last edited:
nightstreak
Active Member
City of Toronto announces Fort York and The Bentway for its FIFA Fan Festival™ location
News Release May 7, 2025 The City of Toronto has confirmed Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway as the official venues for FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, marking a milestone in the city’s preparations to welcome the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The FIFA Fan Festival™ will bring fans together...
Nathan Phillips Square is going to host cultural events, last I heard. I'm sure it'll also have a screen playing the games. I think it makes sense to keep the games' activities within proximity of the stadium and out of the downtown core.
The Bentway as a linear park will work well as it disperses crowds along several city blocks while not needing to close any roads, with screens out of the sun and weather and with great acoustics under the Gardiner. I think it's going to be a fantastic atmosphere.
I just wish they had announced the Bentway as the venue when we won the bid. It would've turbocharged the Bentway development, directed funding to expanding it and given it a strict deadline for completion. An expanded Bentway would've been the lasting infrastructure legacy of the World Cup.
The western expansion from Strachan to Dufferin would provide a direct walkable connection from the World Cup Stadium to Fort York.
And whatever happened to that wooden bridge over Fort York Blvd? This would've extended the Bentway safely over traffic and towards the upcoming Bentway Islands between Dan Leckie Way and Spadina. I imagine none of these construction projects for The Bentway will have any time to be done before June 2026.
Civdis
Active Member
Bumping this as I do not think it was answered. Are all the red seats being changed to grey?
rdaner
Senior Member
I have seen a lot of chatter about FIFA pulling out of US venues for 2026 so assuming that there would be an increase in games in Canada/Mexico. So is it possible to increase the number of matches at BMO or would additional facilities be needed? Could Rogers Event Centre be used? Ivor Wynne in Hamilton? Calgary?
guavadelic
Active Member
Edmonton is the only other Canadian city with a stadium capable of hosting world cup games so its unlikely.
During the selection process, the only Canadian cities who submitted bids to host games were Edmonton, Toronto, and Vancouver. Only Toronto and Vancouver were selected by FIFA. Montreal considered bidding but withdrew due to a lack of funding (they needed to significantly upgrade Saputo Stadium).
If games are taken away from the U.S.(big IF), then Mexico would likely be the beneficiary with their abundance of large and modern soccer stadiums.