The Largest Sports Stadiums In Canada

Canada is a country that loves a wide variety of sports including soccer, hockey, American football, baseball, tennis, and cricket among others. Sports play an important role in the country and act as social glue that helps develop fair judgment and sportsmanship in the country. Canadians flock to stadiums and sports venues to cheer on their favorite teams and enjoy the games. There are numerous stadiums across the country that host different games. Some of these stadiums have the capacity to accommodate tens of thousands of people while some can accommodate less than ten thousand or even less than one thousand. Some of the largest sports stadium in Canada include:

1. Commonwealth Stadium

Commonwealth Stadium is an open-air all seated multipurpose stadium. It is also known as the Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium when hosting the Eskimo events. The stadium is located in McCauley, Alberta. Commonwealth Stadium is the home ground for the Edmonton Eskimos and the Canadian Football League although the stadium is used for other sporting events such as athletics, soccer, and rugby union. Commonwealth Stadium has a seating capacity of 56,302, the largest in the country. Its construction began in 1975 and was opened ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 1978. The stadium was expanded ahead of the 1983 Summer Universiade to a capacity of about 60,000, although the seating capacity remains 56,302.

2. Olympic Stadium

Olympic Stadium is a multi-event stadium located at the Olympic Park in Montreal. It was constructed in 1976 as the main event venue for the Summer Olympics of 1976. The stadium is casually referred to as “Big O” because of its shape which resembles a doughnut. It is also referred to as the ‘Big Owe’ because of the high cost of its construction and the overall cost of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Olympic Stadium is home to the Montreal’s baseball and football teams. The stadium has a permanent seating capacity of 56,040 but the capacity can be expanded with temporary seating making it the largest by seating capacity. Olympic Stadium has been without a tenant since 2004 with the stadium experiencing numerous structural and financial problems which have branded it as a White Elephant.

3. BC Place

BC Place is one of the largest multipurpose stadiums in Canada. It is located in Vancouver, British Columbia and is under the management of the BC Pavilion Corporation. BC Place is currently the home ground of the BC Lion and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. It also hosts the annual Canada Sevens which is part of the World’s Rugby Sevens Series. The stadium was also the main venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and the Paralympics Games of 2010. BC Place was opened on June 9, 1983, as an indoor structure. It was closed for 16 months after the 2010 Winter Olympics for renovation with the stadium reopening having the largest roof of its type. The BC Place has a seating capacity of 54,320.

4. Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre is located in downtown Toronto in Ontario near the shores of Lake Ontario. The stadium was opened in 1989 and is currently home to the Toronto Blue Jay. The stadium was originally known as SkyDome and was renamed ‘Rogers Centre’ after it was purchased by the Rogers Community. It was the first venue to have a retractable motorized roof. It served as the venue for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2015 Pan American Games with the site referred to as Pan Am Dome. The stadium hosts several events including football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and other sports exhibitions. Rogers Centre has also hosted several concerts including the Rolling Stones and Steel Wheels Tour. The stadium has a permanent seating capacity of 53,506.