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93-461: At Toronto FC home matches, the group is primarily based in sections 111 and 112 of BMO Field which has been named "The Bunker", though RPB members can be found scattered all throughout the stadium. The mandate of the Red Patch Boys (RPBs) is to support and promote Toronto FC and the sport of soccer throughout Canada, and to help contribute to the atmosphere at all TFC home games. Along with

186-585: A domestic treble with their win, as well as the first Canadian team to win the MLS Cup. On July 24, 2014, BMO Field hosted the opening match of the 2014 International Champions Cup between Olympiacos and A.C. Milan ; Olympiacos won the match 3–0. On July 17, 2021, Toronto FC played their first home game at BMO Field since the COVID-19 pandemic after being forced to stay in the United States for

279-506: A 100-yard field with 15-yard end zones or a 110-yard field with 10-yard end zones, which is 20 yards shorter than the standard 110-yard field and 20-yard end zones. On December 16, 2009, the Argonauts officially abandoned the idea, after the CFL concluded that the venue was not suitable for Canadian football in its current state. Anselmi indicated in 2009 that a second level could be added to

372-465: A Canadian came at the official opening on May 11, 2007, in a U-20 friendly between Canada and Argentina. David Edgar scored a penalty in a 2–1 defeat for Canada, just four minutes after Gómez had scored the first international goal at the stadium. Costa Rica 's Víctor Núñez scored the first senior international goal in a 1–1 friendly draw with hosts Canada on September 12, 2007, shortly before Dwayne De Rosario scored Canada's first senior goal at

465-536: A new 22,000-seat stadium at Exhibition Place. That July the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) announced separate plans for a 30,000 seat $ 82 million stadium at the site, to host the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup which it had bid on. The governments of Canada and Ontario agreed to provide a combined CA$ 35  million in funding for a new stadium if the CSA was successful in acquiring the rights to

558-555: A new drug strategy. There was no drug testing last year after the CFL severed its partnership with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES), which had conducted the tests. The relationship was mended, and CCES resumed its role of administering testing on players. Under the terms of the agreement, the number of tests conducted was equal to 100 per cent of the players in the league. However, because testing will be random, it

651-475: A result, the CFL fined the Eskimos $ 20,000 and head coach Jason Maas $ 15,000 for refusing to wear live broadcast microphones. The Eskimos were once again required to submit to the live microphone broadcasts for their Week 20 game against the Argonauts. Prior to the game both Jason Maas and Mike Reilly confirmed they would comply with the league's command and wear the microphones. However, on gameday despite wearing

744-410: A roof over most permanent seating areas. Leiweke promised that the soccer playing surface will remain natural grass. A reinforced hybrid playing surface such as Desso GrassMaster , in which artificial fibres are embedded in the turf to allow for the grass roots to intertwine with them to strengthen the pitch, was originally under consideration, but concerns that this would complicate repairs to

837-614: A very important communication tool for all Toronto FC fans. The group maintains national and international links as well, and boasts several members from across Canada and around the world. The player of the year award is presented annually by the Red Patch Boys Supporter Group to the Toronto FC player who best exemplifies outstanding on-field performance, leadership and community service. This article about an association football -related organization

930-411: A win and one point for a tie. The top three teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, with the first place team gaining a bye to the divisional finals. A fourth place team in one division may qualify ahead of the third place team in the other division (the "Crossover"), if they earn more points in the season. If a third-place team finishes in a tie with the fourth place team in the other division,

1023-526: A winter bubble to Lamport Stadium and $ 800,000 building a new artificial turf field to replace the community use hours lost at BMO. By the end of the 2010 renovation, the total cost came to $ 5.5 million CAD. In November 2009, it became public that the Toronto Argonauts were in discussions with the City of Toronto over the possibility of moving from Rogers Centre to BMO Field, potentially as early as

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1116-597: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . BMO Field BMO Field is an outdoor stadium located at Exhibition Place in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Constructed on the former Exhibition Stadium site and first opened in 2007, it is the home field of Toronto FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). BMO Field

1209-430: Is currently under contract with a CFL team must contact the CFL head office for approval, prior to announcing any movement. This moratorium was designed to prevent CFL teams from tampering with coaches under contract, and also to hold coaches honorable to their contracts (unless the general manager of said franchise allows them to become a free agent by voiding their contract). In April 2016 commissioner Orridge ruled that

1302-497: Is obligated to fund. On May 20, 2015, it was announced that two of the three ownership partners of MLSE, Bell Canada and Larry Tanenbaum 's Kilmer Group, had acquired an ownership stake in the Argos, with the deal to close at the end of the year, and would move the team to BMO Field for the 2016 season . The new ownership group for the Argos committed $ 10 million to the conversion costs for BMO Field, with MLSE matching this to fill

1395-506: Is owned by the City of Toronto and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment , which owns both Toronto FC and the Argonauts. The stadium's naming rights are held by the Bank of Montreal , which is commonly branded as "BMO" ( / ˈ b iː m oʊ / ). It is one of two Canadian stadiums which will host matches of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup . An expansion for the tournament will bring

1488-653: The 1st Canadian Infantry Division which fought across Europe during the Second World War. The visual identity is based on the unit's badge which features a stylized Canadian Maple Leaf . The group runs several soccer-related events and programs throughout the year and promotes away-game viewing parties, travels to Toronto FC away matches, and takes part in various flag-making and chant-creating sessions with other Toronto FC Supporters. They are also involved in several charitable events and sponsor amateur youth soccer teams. The group's message board has been noted as

1581-438: The 2010 CFL season . The CFL agreed to study the feasibility of the Argos playing at BMO Field, which was built too short to fit a full-length Canadian football field despite the requirement that the stadium be convertible to CFL configuration in the original stadium agreement. According to Tom Anselmi , former executive vice-president and chief operating officer with MLSE, without significant renovations BMO Field could only fit

1674-413: The Bank of Montreal (BMO) for $ 27 million over the first 10 years. The proposal approved by the City of Toronto was for a stadium that was "capable of a conversion to a football format." The Argonauts attempted to join the project at the last minute, but MLSE, citing budget and time limitations, constructed the stadium such that it could not fit a CFL field without demolition and reconstruction of

1767-554: The Columbus Crew on September 22, 2007, snapping an 824-minute MLS goalless streak. The first Toronto FC MLS playoff goal was scored at BMO Field in the 15th minute by Sebastian Giovinco on October 26, 2016, in front of 21,759. In the same game, the first Toronto FC playoff goal scored by a Canadian was by Jonathan Osorio in the 48th minute; the final score was 3–1 over the Philadelphia Union. In lacrosse ,

1860-548: The Montreal Alouettes played none. There were 21 double headers this year, with three on Thursdays, eight on Fridays, eight on Saturdays, and two (the traditional Labour Day and Thanksgiving contests, with the Ontario Labour Day game being played in prime time for the first time ever) on Mondays. There also was a triple header for the first time since 2007 , with three games on the final day of

1953-669: The NHL Centennial Classic , in honour of the Toronto Maple Leafs' and the NHL's centennial seasons. The Leafs hosted the Detroit Red Wings , in a rematch of the 2014 NHL Winter Classic held three years prior. The venue was referred to as "Exhibition Stadium" for its duration, as Scotiabank (a direct competitor to BMO), was title sponsor of the event. The only music concert thus far at BMO Field

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2046-529: The Ontario Soccer Centre their first three seasons, announced that it would move its home games to BMO Field and Lamport Stadium beginning with the 2018 season. However, with their drop to the division 3 USL League One for the 2019 season, the team moved their home games to BMO Training Ground . As part of the NHL's attempt to salvage its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , BMO Field

2139-534: The Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB), with the 1989 opening of SkyDome (now Rogers Centre ). Exhibition Stadium was demolished in 1999. A number of proposals to build a stadium in Toronto were considered in the 2000s. The Argonauts submitted a proposal to the city to renovate Lamport Stadium and expand its capacity to 19,000. In March 2003, the proposal was modified to constructing

2232-420: The $ 20 million funding gap. Part of the agreement would see two Grey Cups played at the newly renovated BMO Field. The renovations for the Argonauts added a state-of-the-art 10,000 sq ft (930 m ) dressing room. In February 2016 it was announced that BMO had extended its naming rights sponsorship agreement for an additional ten years. The renovation ended up costing $ 150 million in total. At

2325-441: The $ 3.5 million for the conversion, and promised to cover all additional costs to maintain the surface. A variety of Kentucky Bluegrass was installed in the spring of 2010, along with a state of the art drainage system and heating system in the field. MLSE spent a further $ 2 million to expand the north end by 1,400 seats for the 2010 season. As part of the deal to convert the field to natural grass, MLSE spent $ 1.2 million adding

2418-402: The 2015 Pan-Am games, NHL outdoor games , Grey Cup , MLS Cup , possible 2028 Summer Olympics or later or a successful 2026 FIFA World Cup by Canada. The plans called for $ 30 million retractable end zone seating in the south and a retractable terrace in the north end to ensure that fans aren't farther from the playing surface in soccer configuration due to the longer CFL field, and

2511-486: The 2016 season, Montreal Alouettes general manager Jim Popp , who had doubled as interim head coach of the team since firing Tom Higgins partway through the previous season, stepped aside from coaching duties and named Jacques Chapdelaine as his replacement. Chapdelaine is the first French-speaking head coach in the history of the Alouettes organization. On April 21, 2016 the CFL and CFLPA announced an agreement on

2604-566: The 2020 season and the first half of the 2021 season. They drew 1–1 against Orlando City SC , ironically the team whose stadium they had been previously using. BMO Field hosted the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup , the first major tournament held at the stadium. The stadium saw the Canadian Under-20 squad once. The stadium also saw six knockout stage games including the Final; which was won by Argentina . Due to FIFA sponsorship regulations,

2697-643: The Argonauts played their first game at the stadium, a preseason (exhibition) game; the Argos defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 25–16. On June 23, the Argos played their first regular season game at BMO Field; the Ti-Cats defeated the Argos 42–20. Due to the position of the stands, each end zone is only 18 yards deep rather than the standard 20 in Canadian football. BMO Field was a home venue for Canada's national rugby union team . From 2011 to 2016,

2790-429: The Argos adding $ 20 million to the government funding. MLSE was not involved in this project. However, the Argos pulled out of the stadium after signing a new 15-year lease at Rogers Centre with significantly reduced rent. In 2005, the stadium site was moved back to Exhibition Place, on the location of the demolished Exhibition Stadium and then-existing Sports Hall of Fame building, in a partnership between MLSE and

2883-405: The Argos. However, MLSE backed out of the stadium due to a lack of financial return, and the deal ultimately fell through in 2004 when the university's new president withdrew his support after its cost rose over $ 100 million. Later that year, the Argos and CSA announced plans to build a 25,000-seat, $ 70 million stadium at York University , which would contribute the land and $ 15 million, with

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2976-476: The BMO Field as long as it is used by a professional sports team". However, according to Leiweke, the federal funding "is not going to the stadium, their money is going to host big events." In another interview he said "the feds are giving us the resources to (temporarily) expand to 40,000 for our Grey Cup bids and Winter Classic bids". By late May 2014, MLSE had not reached a financing agreement with either

3069-506: The CSA. With a total cost of $ 62.9 million (all figures are in Canadian dollars) to build the stadium ($ 72.8 million including the land), financial contributions came from multiple sources. The Canadian Federal Government contributed $ 27 million, the Government of Ontario added an additional $ 8 million, and the City of Toronto paid $ 9.8 million and contributed the land for the project (valued at $ 10 million), while retaining ownership of

3162-607: The English Premier League . BMO Field has hosted several MLS Cups, and was the first venue outside of the United States to host the event in 2010 , featuring the Colorado Rapids defeating FC Dallas 2–1. The first MLS home playoff game held at BMO Field saw Toronto FC defeat the Philadelphia Union 3–1 on October 26, 2016. BMO Field hosted the MLS Cup again in 2016 , as Toronto FC won

3255-578: The Eskimos did not owe the Redblacks any financial compensation for their hiring of Jason Maas. Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach and vice president Kent Austin , who had also served as general manager for his first three seasons in Hamilton, promoted Eric Tillman to general manager for the 2014 season. Tillman had served as a consultant with the Tiger-Cats since the 2012 season. Midway through

3348-554: The MLS Eastern Championship and hosted Seattle Sounders FC in the final; Seattle won the match 5–4 on penalties following a goalless draw after extra time. On December 9, 2017, BMO Field hosted its second consecutive MLS Cup in 2017 : a rematch between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders from the previous edition. This time, Toronto FC defeated Seattle 2–0, and became the first MLS team to complete

3441-471: The NFL. NFL referees working CFL games would mostly be side and field judges to minimize the rules differences between the two leagues. Several CFL officials would participate in the NFL's Officiating Development Program, including working NFL mini-camps, training camps and preseason games. Analysts saw this agreement as the first step towards having U.S.-trained officials work in the CFL full-time. Previously, one of

3534-463: The Roughriders' 2016 salary cap. The investigation was partially brought to the public spotlight by Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell on Twitter. In the middle of the season the CFL and broadcasting company TSN introduced live microphone audio from the head coach and quarterback as part of the broadcast experience. The first game this was implemented was a Labour Day weekend game between

3627-439: The Tiger-Cats and Stampeders. The CFL ON TSN's inaugural Live Mic Broadcast saw a total of 2.4 million Canadians tune in. Live Mic Broadcast was next implemented in three Thanksgiving weekend games; this time expanded to include back-up quarterbacks and select defensive players. Edmonton Eskimos head coach Jason Maas and starting quarterback Mike Reilly both refused to wear the live microphones for their Thanksgiving game. As

3720-536: The agreement is planned to be finalized by June 15. The Provincial Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan said that MLSE has submitted a funding request and that "we are looking at it", while the Federal Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel 's spokesperson said that "the federal government has no program to fund professional sports facilities". A spokesperson for Lebel would later say "our government will not fund

3813-428: The city $ 25.4 million, and with the projected $ 6 million in parking revenues the $ 31 million in revenue over the term of the lease would be $ 19 million more than under the former agreement. As manager of the stadium, MLSE gets any profit turned by the stadium, and is responsible for any losses. MLSE's management and naming rights agreement for the stadium, which was set to expire in 2027, were extended by 10 years under

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3906-422: The current practice of giving home field advantage to the side with the better regular-season record. The venue has also hosted rugby union , including matches of Canada's national team , and rugby sevens during the 2015 Pan-American Games . From 2014 to 2016, the stadium underwent a series of major renovations, which added an upper deck to the east grandstand and a roof over the seating areas, and lengthened

3999-457: The east side stands and extra rows added to the south side stands, which would add an additional 8,400 seats, for approximately $ 15 million. Following Tim Leiweke taking over as president of MLSE in June 2013, he began discussing the company's plans for a major renovation of the stadium. In early January 2014, Leiweke said that next six months would be spent consulting with experts to determine

4092-522: The end zone stands. The field of play dimensions are 74 yards (68 m) wide × 115 yards (105 m) long, meeting FIFA standards. The stadium features seats that are entirely red with the exception of a design on each of the main stands. On the east side the design is a large maple leaf, while on the lower west stand the design spells out "TORONTO" and has a portion of the Toronto FC logo. The south stand has "BMO" spelled out. On May 11, 2006, Major League Soccer announced that Toronto FC would join

4185-484: The feasibility of the project. As the stadium is owned by the City of Toronto, their consent is required for any modifications. The City insisted that any renovations included making the playing surface longer to fit a CFL field so it could house the Argonauts, who had to vacate the Rogers Centre by the end of the 2017 season. Mark Grimes, Chairman of Exhibition Place's Board, began negotiating with MLSE on

4278-453: The federal or provincial governments to fill the $ 20 million funding gap. The fall of the government of Ontario, with an election scheduled for June 12 , prevented them from approving their share of the funding. With deadlines approaching to start construction to ensure that the stadium was ready for the 2015 Pan-Am games, MLSE decided to move forward with the first phase of the renovation without first securing further funding commitments from

4371-411: The field has two football goalpost configurations so that the same grass isn't relined every game. Under a two-phase construction process, the field was lengthened and the capacity of the stadium increased for $ 77 million by May 1, 2015, with the roof added by May 1, 2016, for $ 43 million. Leiweke in the past had said that even without an expansion the stadium needed $ 30 million in repairs, and that

4464-409: The field to make it suitable for hosting Canadian football. The latter allowed for the Toronto Argonauts to move to BMO Field beginning with the 2016 CFL season , which also saw the 104th Grey Cup played at the stadium. BMO Field is the fifth stadium to be built at its exact location at Exhibition Place . The most recent was Exhibition Stadium , which lost its two primary tenants, the Argonauts and

4557-524: The first Major League Lacrosse goal at BMO Field was scored by Merrick Thomson of the Toronto Nationals in a 15–11 win in their home opener on May 22, 2009. In Canadian football, the first Canadian Football League points scored at BMO Field was a Toronto Argonauts completed touchdown pass caught by Vidal Hazelton , thrown by Logan Kilgore , in a June 11, 2016 exhibition Argos win; final score 25–16. The first CFL regular season points scored at

4650-559: The first round of the playoffs. Wally Buono will resume the head coaching duties. On December 7, 2015, a mere week after winning the 2015 Grey Cup , it was announced that Chris Jones would be the new general manager and head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders . After starting 0−9 during the 2015 season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders fired Corey Chamblin . Bob Dyce was the intern head coach for

4743-507: The former system a player charged with a first time offence was able to have his identity remain confidential. The CFL commissioner could also reduce a suspension based on exceptional circumstance. On April 22, 2016 the CFL and the NFL announced a landmark joint-partnership involving their officiating staff. NFL-trained referees would officiate preseason and regular-season games in the CFL, while CFL officials would attend NFL training camps and education sessions before working pre-season games in

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4836-412: The government. The revised plan proposed a $ 65 million addition of an upper east deck in the first phase, and $ 40 million addition of a canopy in the second phase. The lengthening of the field to make it CFL compatible and the infrastructure to allow for a temporary increase in seating capacity was postponed to a third phase costing $ 20–$ 25 million to be completed by May 1, 2017, pending a commitment by

4929-414: The governments or other parties to fund it and a usage agreement being reached with the Argos. MLSE agreed to pay the city an additional $ 160,000 annually for as long as phase 3 remains uncompleted to compensate the city for the envisioned parking revenues at Argos games. Leiweke pledged that if both levels of government funded the project "we're obligated to renovate the stadium for the CFL", but if

5022-534: The improved atmosphere and control of revenue streams. The Argonauts, CSA and MLSE agreed to partner to build a new 25,000-seat, $ 80 million Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto . Aside from the committed government funding, $ 15 million was to come from the UofT, which would own the stadium, and a $ 30 million loan would be taken out by the university with the annual $ 2.1 million financing charges paid by

5115-474: The league as its 13th (and first Canada-based) team in 2007, with BMO Field serving as its home. BMO Field originally used FieldTurf rather than a natural grass pitch, which attracted some criticism . A temporary grass turf was laid in August 2009 for a friendly against Real Madrid . Prior to the 2010 season Toronto City Council approved MLSE's request to convert the stadium to natural grass. MLSE paid

5208-476: The list to be developed by mutual agreement and based on professional advice. Regarding player violations, those testing positive would face a two-game suspension for a first violation. This penalty would increase to a nine-game suspension (half the regular season) for a second violation and a one-year ban for a third offence. A fourth violation would result in a lifetime ban. Violations were now to be publicly disclosed once all appeals had been exhausted: Whereas in

5301-520: The major stumbling blocks for U.S.-born officials working in the CFL was it took them off the track to the NFL. But a development program between the two leagues could lead to officials graduating from the CFL to the NFL. In March the CFL's Rules Committee submitted a variety of rule changes to the Board of Governors be implemented for the 2016 season. The proposals were reviewed by the CFL's Board of Governors and almost all of them were put into effect for

5394-401: The microphone Maas stood silent for most of the game and covered his mic at times when he was speaking. On November 24, 2016 the CFL announced they were investigating the issue since the team "didn't live up to the spirit of the agreement." Teams played eighteen regular season games, playing two divisional opponents three times and all of the other teams twice. Teams were awarded two points for

5487-470: The most with three Thursday home games. After having spent 27 seasons at Rogers Centre , the Toronto Argonauts moved to BMO Field following renovations that have made the stadium suitable for Canadian football. The move was prompted in 2013 when Rogers Communications announced plans to install natural grass at Rogers Centre for the 2018 season—a move that will require the stadium to be permanently locked into its baseball configuration. On May 20, 2015, it

5580-486: The necessary conditions for phase three are not met by May 15, 2017, MLSE can pull out. The new proposal was approved by city council on June 12. It is thought that if the Liberals win the provincial election they will fund the project. The official groundbreaking took place on September 23. In April 2015, it was reported that the renovations were $ 10 million over budget due to pressure to meet deadlines, which MLSE

5673-462: The off-season between 2015 and 2016 to add canopy roofs and retractable seating in the end zones for a Canadian football field. However, Toronto FC continue to be primary occupants of the stadium and have first choice of game dates. Adidas , who has held the contract for CFL uniforms since acquiring Reebok in 2005, switched the league's uniforms from the Reebok brand (which was used for the uniforms

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5766-412: The only two Canadian venues to host matches during the tournament. During the event, the stadium will be temporarily renamed to "Toronto Stadium" in accordance with FIFA's policy on corporate-sponsored names. The field will be supplemented by 17,756 temporary seats to bring its capacity to 45,736 for the event, to satisfy a FIFA requirement. On February 4, 2024, it was revealed that the stadium would host

5859-437: The opening match for Canada on June 12, 2026. In total, the stadium will host six matches, five in the group stage and one in the knockout rounds. BMO Field has hosted a number of friendly soccer matches. With the Argonauts moving to the renovated BMO Field beginning with the 2016 CFL season, the team was awarded on October 1, 2015, the right to host the 104th Grey Cup at the stadium on November 27, 2016. On June 11, 2016,

5952-402: The original agreement called for the city and MLSE to split that bill equally. Instead, MLSE looked for $ 10 million in public funding from each of the municipal, provincial, and federal governments to top up their $ 90 million contribution, plus any cost overruns, for the expansion. MLSE argued that the new stadium would result in $ 8 million in economic benefits, including taxes, accruing to

6045-480: The other supporter groups in Toronto, they have gained widespread notoriety for showering opposing players with streamers during corner kicks and goal celebrations. In addition to activities in their home stadium, several members also take part in away games at other MLS venues; notably Columbus, Chicago, and Foxborough. The group's name is a homage to the Red Patch Devils, a nickname given by Axis forces for

6138-415: The pitch led MLSE to decide against it. A $ 1 million subsurface heating system and a $ 1 million artificial lighting system were installed to encourage grass growth, and MLSE secured an exemption to use pesticides on the field. Portions of the CFL end zones are artificial turf. Removable paint is used for lining the field to allow for the football lines to be removed prior to soccer games. As well,

6231-584: The previous twelve seasons, dating to 2004, the season before Adidas's purchase) to the Adidas brand. With the rebrand came some mostly minor adjustments to each of the teams' uniforms, which were unveiled May 12. On December 2, 2015 Jeff Tedford announced that he had resigned his position as head coach of the BC Lions . In his lone season with the Lions, Tedford led them to a mediocre record of 7−11, losing in

6324-417: The project and said "I think I have Mr. Leiweke's ear in that I am a big CFL fan and that we need to get the Argos on stable ground." Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said that "the Argos have got to play there" and that "I think there is a very good chance that they will." On February 25 Grimes said that a deal was "getting close" and could be reached "in the next couple weeks". Preliminary plans were released to

6417-422: The proposal. The agreement requires MLSE to reach a "long-term use (i.e. 20 years)" lease with the Toronto Argonauts for usage of the stadium starting in 2015. The proposed renovations were unanimously approved by the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place on March 7, and the City of Toronto's Executive Committee gave their consent on March 19. The full City Council approved the deal on April 3, and

6510-432: The proposed expansion could become permanent. Toronto FC played their first game at BMO Field on April 28, 2007. The grand opening celebration took place on May 12, 2007. On July 18, 2009, BMO Field had its first alcohol suspension, due to an incident that occurred on May 21, 2008, regarding alcohol consumption by a minor . The 2008 MLS All-Star Game was held at BMO Field on July 24, 2008, versus West Ham United of

6603-427: The province annually, and $ 18 million in taxes on the construction project. The company has agreed to pay a fixed annual rental fee of $ 865,000 to the city for the upgraded stadium, rather than the variable revenue sharing model under the present agreement which returned an average of $ 397,000 to the city over the previous five years, to help ensure that the city recoups its investment. The new arrangement guaranteed

6696-413: The public on March 5. In addition to making the field compatible for CFL games, the upgrades, which were originally budgeted for $ 115–120 million, added a new upper deck on the east side, raising capacity from 21,566 seats to 30,000 for soccer, with 26,500 seats in CFL configuration, and is temporarily expandable with additional end zone seating to 40,000 for big events such as the rugby sevens at

6789-427: The regular season on Saturday, November 5. For the second consecutive season, the last week of the regular season featured inter-divisional games. This was the second straight season to showcase Thursday Night Football with 10 of the first 11 weeks featuring Thursday night games, including the three aforementioned Thursday night double headers. Every CFL team hosted at least one Thursday game this season; Montreal hosted

6882-440: The remainder of the 2015 season. In response to losing Chris Jones, the Eskimos named former Redblacks offensive coordinator Jason Maas as their new head coach on December 14, 2015. Jason Maas had played quarterback for the Eskimos for 10 seasons from the 2000 CFL season until the 2011 CFL season . Following this fury of coaching changes, new CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge announced on December 16, 2015, that any coach who

6975-476: The reopening ceremony it was announced that the province of Ontario had contributed $ 10 million to the financing. After the renovations, the field for configuration for football has only 18 yard end zones (instead of the standard 20 yards) due to space constraints and the necessity of a safety zone for players beyond the field of play. In April 2019, MLSE converted the field to a hybrid grass surface. In August 2017, Toronto FC II , which hosted their games at

7068-553: The season since Winnipeg's Investors Group Field opened the 2013 season . For the third consecutive season, week 1 featured a Grey Cup rematch, with the defending champion Edmonton Eskimos hosting the Ottawa Redblacks . This was also the first time since 2012 that all member clubs played all pre-season and regular season games at their regular home stadiums . The 2015 featured eight home-and-home series; three of those featured Saskatchewan and/or Winnipeg , while

7161-438: The stadium was a conceded safety touch of 2 points by Canadian Argos kicker / punter Lirim Hajrullahu in a 20–42 loss on June 23. The first regular season points scored by the Argos at BMO Field was a successful field goal kicked by Hajrullahu in the same game. On July 25, the Argonauts won their first regular season game at their new home, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 30–17. The largest attendance for any event at

7254-499: The stadium was expanded beyond its permanent capacity. Notes: One Toronto FC home match played at BMO Field before season postponed, moved, and condensed , due to COVID-19 pandemic . Limited capacity for regular season home matches after Match 13 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Notes: 104th Grey Cup game between the Ottawa Redblacks and Calgary Stampeders . Limited capacity for all regular season games due to COVID-19 pandemic. 2016 CFL season The 2016 CFL season

7347-744: The stadium was recorded on January 1, 2017, when the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Centennial Classic in front of 40,148 people. The largest attendance for a Major League Soccer game was on December 10, 2016, when Toronto FC hosted the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2016 MLS Cup in front of 36,045. The largest attendance for a Canadian Football League game was the 104th Grey Cup played before 33,421 on November 27, 2016. For all three games, which were played within five weeks of each other,

7440-484: The stadium's capacity to 45,736 seats. BMO Field was originally constructed as a soccer-specific stadium for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and first home for Toronto FC. It hosted matches during the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup . In 2010, when it was still a neutral-site game, BMO Field hosted the MLS Cup . It has since hosted the 2016 and 2017 finals featuring Toronto FC, under

7533-424: The stadium. MLSE contributed $ 8 million towards construction costs and was responsible for any cost overruns. In return, they got the management rights for the stadium. MLSE committed to purchase a MLS soccer team to play in the stadium. The remaining funds came from MLSE, which paid $ 10 million for the naming rights of the stadium for the duration of the 20-year management agreement, which they later resold to

7626-503: The stadium. The first Toronto FC goal scored by a Canadian at BMO Field was in a June 25, 2007 friendly against Aston Villa of the English Premier League. Andrea Lombardo scored an equalizer at BMO Field's south end to make it 2–2 before Aston Villa ran out 4–2 winners. The first league goal at BMO Field scored by a Canadian came when Miguel Cañizalez scored for Toronto FC in the second minute of their 2–1 defeat to

7719-683: The team has played at the venue regularly. During the 2015 Pan American Games , BMO Field hosted the rugby sevens competition (soccer events took place at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton ). Due to PASO sponsorship regulations, the venue was referred to as "Exhibition Stadium" during the event. In 2009, the Toronto Nationals of Major League Lacrosse began playing their home games at BMO Field. The team moved to Lamport Stadium for 2010 and to Hamilton in 2011 before folding in 2013. On January 1, 2017, BMO Field hosted an NHL outdoor game,

7812-411: The third place team automatically gets the playoff spot and there is no crossover. If two or more teams in the same division were equal in points, the following tiebreakers applied: Notes: Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points Teams in bold are in playoff positions. The Redblacks ended a 40-year championship drought for

7905-589: The tournament. At the time, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), owners of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs and the National Basketball Association 's Toronto Raptors , was also looking for a stadium to host a new Major League Soccer (MLS) team they were considering launching. The league considered soccer-specific stadiums to be necessary for an expansion franchise to be granted, due to

7998-419: The upcoming season. In the middle of August the Saskatchewan Roughriders were found to be in violation of policies which prohibit practicing with ineligible players, players participating in practice who are on the 6-Game Injured List and having free agents practice with players who are under contract. The CFL decided to fine the Saskatchewan Roughriders $ 60,000, as well as a deduction in excess of $ 26,000 off

8091-408: The venue was referred to as the " National Soccer Stadium " during the event. BMO Field hosted the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup . Canada played in Toronto for the first two match days, with Korea DPR, Finland, and Ghana in their group. National Soccer Stadium also hosted a quarterfinal match on August 16. BMO Field is set to host several matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup , making it one of

8184-447: Was announced the team had been sold to Larry Tanenbaum and Bell Media and would move to BMO Field. Bell Media and Tanenbaum are part-owners of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment , the company that owns Major League Soccer 's Toronto FC and operates BMO Field, along with Rogers. The stadium underwent renovations in the off-season between 2014 and 2015, raising stadium capacity for soccer to 30,991. Further renovations took place in

8277-417: Was fixed and did not vary with league revenue performance. The base minimum individual salary was set at $ 52,000. On February 18, 2016, the 2016 season schedule was released, with the regular season opener taking place at BMO Field hosted by the Toronto Argonauts on June 23. This was the first time that the Argonauts hosted a season opener since the 2008 CFL season and the first time a new stadium opened

8370-528: Was performed by the progressive rock group Genesis on September 7, 2007. The first goal at BMO Field was scored by Eddie Johnson for the Kansas City Wizards in a 1–0 Major League Soccer win over home side Toronto FC in the stadium opener on April 28, 2007. The first Toronto FC goal at the stadium was Danny Dichio 's first-half strike against Chicago Fire on May 12, 2007 (also his club's first MLS goal). The first goal at BMO Field scored by

8463-564: Was possible for some players to be tested twice, while others wouldn't be tested at all. The new system also recognised sanctions from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)--later renamed to U Sports—as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National Football League (NFL) and other World Anti-Doping Agency -tested sports. The teams and league were to provide appropriate NSF International -certified supplements to their players, with

8556-405: Was the 63rd season of modern-day Canadian football . Officially, it was the 59th Canadian Football League season. Toronto hosted the 104th Grey Cup on November 27. The regular season began on June 23 and ended on November 5. According to the new collective bargaining agreement, the 2016 salary cap was set at $ 5,100,000 (average $ 110,986 per active roster spot). As per the agreement, the cap

8649-469: Was used as part of the NHL's bubble in Toronto for the Eastern Conference teams in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs . BMO Field has been selected as a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city of Toronto has agreed to invest $ 37 million for updates to the stadium, including the temporary expansion of seating capacity to 45,000. However, there are discussion with MLSE about whether parts of

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