Here's a first look at Toronto's BMO Field ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

As the countdown to the FIFA 2026 World Cup games begins, Toronto's BMO's field is going through a number of renovations to meet the tournament's standards. 

On Tuesday, the city of Toronto and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment unveiled details about the ongoing renovations and upgrades at the venue.

Nick Eaves, MLSE's chief venues and operations officer, said it's an honour to host the first match for Canada men's national soccer team.

"We're thrilled to be one of 16 host cities playing our part and we can't wait to make the city of Toronto proud and showcase all that in front of a global broadcast audience of literally several billion people," he said.

In June 2022, FIFA awarded Toronto the right to host five first round games plus one playoff round match during the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off June 12. The remaining games will be hosted by Vancouver, Mexico and the U.S.

Eaves said MLSE is working together with the city to expand BMO field to have it be ready for World Cup matches and meet the FIFA requirements, which he says are "not insignificant."

"It's been a bit of a journey in partnership between the city and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to really be ready to host what will be the largest global sporting event ever," he said. 

Sharon Bollenbach, executive director for the FIFA World Cup 26 Toronto Secretariat, said phase one of the renovations is officially complete, and includes several permanent elements such as luxury suites, an upgraded video production control room and a new kitchen.

The "jewels in the crown" for her are the four new video boards, which are approximately 9 by 15 metres, with over five million pixels in terms of resolution, she said. 

"We're really proud of that. It's one of the