What to know
- A photo showing temporary seating at BMO Field has spread widely on social media, with some users saying they would feel unsafe sitting on the steep stands.
- The stadium is undergoing a $158-million renovation ahead of the FIFA World Cup, including adding about 17,000 temporary seats to expand capacity to roughly 45,000 fans.
- Some residents online worry about slippery steps, structural stability and whether fans in the highest rows will have clear views of the field.
- Supporters note similar temporary seating has been used safely at past international events.
The World Cup is already creating chatter in Toronto, as many are slamming the city stadium’s temporary seats based on a viral photo.
The biggest soccer event in the world is coming to Canada for the first time ever, bringing over a million visitors from all across the globe who are hoping to catch a match and soak up the sporting spirit.
The city has long been preparing for the historic event, including the launch of a $158-million renovation of its BMO Field, which will host a total of six matches.
A series of major upgrades to the stadium include investing in its broadcast infrastructure to allow for international coverage, upgrading locker rooms, and increasing its seating capacity to 45,000 people by adding 17,000 temporary seats to accommodate fans.
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As the renovation comes together for the major event, a photo of the stadium’s new temporary seats is going viral online, and many residents are not happy with the results, with some raising concerns over the seats’ safety and others questioning whether fans will be able to watch games from the top spots.
“Just saw a photo of BMO’s temporary seating. Respectfully, you couldn’t pay me to climb, stand or sit on that,” one person said on X (formerly Twitter).
“The fact that people are going to pay $3k to sit on stands that look like they’re a good wind storm away from collapsing,” another person wrote.
“When it rains, those steps are going to be slick,” a different person pointed out.
“Is the massive white thing that’s not detachable not obstructing the views at the top part of the seats???” one user questioned.
“I’m crying, can you even see anything at the top?” a different person said.
Other users are even comparing BMO Field’s seats to the ones in Rogers Stadium, which was also called out by concert-goers who said the temporary venue’s seats were unsafe and inaccessible.
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“It’s giving Roger’s stadium,” one X user said.
“This reminds me of the temporary Rodgers [sic] Stadium that was built for concerts over the summer. Saw Coldplay there and honestly was worried the whole time – especially when people would start jumping and you could feel the whole thing sway,” another person shared.
“Never been to Rogers Stadium? It’s entirely this,” a different user suggested.
Meanwhile, others are pointing out that temporary seats are a common sight in other venues and during major sporting events.
During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Ekaterinburg Arena also held a similar structure to accommodate FIFA’s stadium capacity standards, bringing an additional 12,000 seats to the venue.
“That’s the standard set up. Been done several times since the stadium was built,” one person said.
“Have you seen Roger’s stadium? It is basically the same and it’s strong,” another user added.
“These structures have a very good track record. They wouldn’t break,” a user said.
