Biggest Stadiums in Canada

Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton – 56,302

The Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton was initially built as the main site for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. Originally, the stadium’s capacity was just over 42,000.

However, the Edmonton Elks made the Commonwealth Stadium their home for the 1978 CFL season. The stadium was an instant hit with the fans as the ground was at full capacity for seven of the eight games in the 1979 CFL season.

In addition, the Commonwealth Stadium has held five Grey Cup finals, with the most recent in 2018. But the 2010 game between the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders attracted the venue’s biggest-ever crowd. More than 62,000 fans attended the CFL clash when the venue had facilities and space to increase attendance.

The Commonwealth Stadium is a multi-purpose arena and it has hosted further athletics competitions. These include the 1983 Summer Universiade and the 2001 World Championships.

Canada’s men’s and women’s soccer teams have also used the venue a combined 25 times. NHL Heritage Classic games have also taken place at the Commonwealth Stadium.

Olympic Stadium, Montreal – 56,040

The Olympic Stadium is another Canadian arena that housed an international athletics competition. As the name suggests, the Olympic Stadium was built as one of the leading venues for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Due to its near-perfect circular shape, many locals call the venue The Big O.

Once construction finished in 1976, the Olympic Stadium was the largest sports venue in Canada. It initially had room for 73,000 spectators before this was reduced to a permanent capacity of 56,040.

After successfully housing the athletics events for the 1976 Olympics, the Olympic Stadium was used by Montreal’s leading sports teams. The CFL team, the Montreal Alouettes, used the arena as its home ground between 1976 and 1987. The city’s baseball team, the Montreal Expos, also used the Olympic Stadium as a regular playing venue until 2003.

However, following construction faults and issues with the roof, the Olympic Stadium has been used less frequently in the last two decades. Occasionally, the arena hosted concerts and it was a venue for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

BC Place, Vancouver – 54,320

BC Place is a multi-purpose stadium in Vancouver that hosts several sports teams and events. The venue was purpose-built to house a variety of sporting events within the city rather than a sole venue for one sport.

As a result, it has been the long-term home venue for two of the city’s largest sports teams. The BC Lions (CFL) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Major Soccer League) still play at the arena today.

However, the multi-purpose model means BC Place can facilitate many other sports competitions. Some of the most high-profile tournaments to take place here include the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Paralympics Games. The arena was also selected as one of the 2026 FIFA World Cup host stadiums. Seven international soccer matches will occur at BC Place in 2026.

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Rogers Centre, Toronto – 53,506

Rogers Centre is the long-term home stadium of the city’s MLB team, the Toronto Bluejays. The professional baseball team has played home matches here since 1989. In addition, the city’s CFL team, the Toronto Argonauts, used the venue until 2015.

However, the venue’s retractable roof system means it can house many sports and non-sports events. Rogers Centre has held basketball, soccer, motorsport, cricket, tennis and WWE wrestling events since 1989.

The largest recorded attendance came at the 2002 WrestleMania X8 spectacle. Here, the arena exceeded its current capacity by hosting 68,237 spectators.

McMahon Stadium, Calgary – 35,560

McMahon Stadium in Calgary is one of the older stadiums with a high capacity. The venue opened in 1960, and it has been owned by the University of Calgary ever since.

Both of the city’s popular football teams have called McMahon Stadium their home since 1960. The CFL’s Calgary Stampeders and college team Calgary Dinos are long-term tenants of the venue.

However, today’s stadium is not an exact version of the original. Initially, McMahon Stadium had just 22,000 capacity. However, regular upgrades have seen the arena grow to a maximum capacity of over 35,000. Such expansion has allowed McMahon Stadium to host alternative sports games other than football. The 2011 NHL Heritage Classic took place here and McMahon Stadium has also hosted music concerts for ZZ Top, Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne. Check out here which Canadian Celebrities have been spotted in casinos.