Toronto's massively expanded BMO Field debuts in a few weeks

Toronto residents are finally about to see what $146 million can do to a stadium. 

BMO Field has been undergoing a major facelift ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Back in December, the second stage of the costly renovation got underway, as the estimated completion date of March 2026 drew closer.

A hint recently dropped that the City of Toronto has avoided a situation similar to the Olympic ice rink in Milan, as it looks like BMO Field is just about ready for its first test.

Presale tickets are currently available for two matches featuring Canada Soccer's Men's National Team, both of which are taking place at the end of March.

Canada will host Iceland at BMO Field at 1:00 p.m. on March 28, followed by a contest against Tunisia at 7:30 p.m on March 31. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Jan. 30.

BMO Field will also host two more international friendlies, as Haiti battles Tunisia at 8:00 p.m. on March 28. Haiti will also play Iceland at 12:30 p.m. on March 31.

The ticketing map shows that the seating upgrades are largely in place for both matches.

Here's how it compares to a seating chart for a Canada Soccer match in 2022 at BMO Field.

However, another hint about the stadium's progress was also revealed in the presale ticketing announcement.

On Ticketmaster, the seats available for both of Canada's matches at BMO Field in March are below the expected seating capacity for the FIFA World Cup.

The capacity for both matches is set at 38,069. That's about 7,000 below the expected capacity of 45,000 once the renovations are complete.

FIFA required host stadiums to have at least 40,000 seats available prior to the World Cup kicking off.

While BMO Field (which will be called Toronto Stadium for the FIFA World Cup due to sponsorship rules) will get its first test soon, it looks like there is still some work left to be done past the expected completion date of March 2026.

While the upgraded stadium is located next to a GO Transit station and streetcar stops, those who want to check out the new stadium by car will face a bigger issue than seating: finding a place to park.

"There will be very limited parking," Sharon Bollenbach, executive director of the FIFA World Cup 26 Toronto Secretariat, said back in September.

"We're really going to be encouraging people to find other methods versus driving,"

The first FIFA World Cup match will take place in Toronto on June 13, as Canada hosts one of Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Bosnia and Herzegovina.