"It's ready for the World Cup." That's not marketing copy — that's Don Hardman, the executive director of stadium and venue management for FIFA26 Canada, wrapping up a media tour of what used to be BMO Field and is now being called Toronto Stadium ahead of Canada's June 12 opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The lakefront venue has been transformed. Colourful banners and signage, temporary grandstand seating, four large video screens, and Olympic-style security fencing around the perimeter have turned a 30,000-seat MLS ground into something that will hold around 42,000 for each of six World Cup matches. The goalposts and field lines weren't down yet during Thursday's tour, and grounds crew were still walking mowers across what looked like an immaculate pitch — but the bones are there.
A dress rehearsal that actually taught them something
The operations crew got a proper test run on May 9 when Toronto FC hosted Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, with the new grandstands open for the first time. Hardman admitted they made adjustments to entry lanes after seeing where the bottlenecks formed. That kind of learning-on-the-job is fine when the stakes are an MLS regular season match. Less ideal at a World Cup, but at least they did it before June rather than during it.
"We're going to continue to learn over six match days here in Toronto," Hardman said. Fair enough — and the honesty is refreshing compared to the usual tournament-ready bluster.
The venue's compact size is the real talking point. Hardman acknowledged it's on the smaller end but argued the tighter dimensions create better sightlines and atmosphere. He's probably right. Some of the best World Cup atmospheres have come from grounds that feel intimate rather than cavernous. Whether 42,000 passionate Canadian fans can generate that kind of noise against Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 12 is the actual question — and it's one Canada's odds of advancing from their group may well hinge on.
After the opener, Canada head to Vancouver for their remaining two group games. If they're going to make a run, they'll need the home crowd to do its job in Toronto first.
