Biggest Stadiums in Canada

Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton – 56,302

The Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton was originally constructed for the 1978 Commonwealth Games, initially boasting a capacity slightly above 42,000 spectators.

During the 1978 CFL season, the Edmonton Elks claimed the Commonwealth Stadium as their home field. The venue quickly became extremely popular, with seven out of eight games in the 1979 CFL season attracting full crowds.

Furthermore, the Commonwealth Stadium has hosted five Grey Cup finals, with the latest occurring in 2018. Notably, the 2010 matchup between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders drew the largest crowd in the stadium’s history, with over 62,000 fans filling the stands as the venue's facilities allowed for expanded attendance.

As a versatile multi-purpose arena, the Commonwealth Stadium has also witnessed numerous athletics events, including the 1983 Summer Universiade and the 2001 World Championships.

The stadium has been utilized by both the men's and women's Canadian soccer teams a total of 25 times. Additionally, NHL Heritage Classic games have been hosted at this iconic venue.

Olympic Stadium, Montreal – 56,040

Another prominent Canadian stadium is the Olympic Stadium, built specifically for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and designed to be one of the key venues for international athletics. Locals affectionately refer to this site as The Big O due to its nearly perfect circular shape.

Upon completion in 1976, the Olympic Stadium held the title of the largest sports facility in Canada. It originally hosted 73,000 spectators, but that number eventually stabilized at a permanent capacity of 56,040.

After accommodating the athletics events during the 1976 Olympics, this stadium became the home turf for Montreal's top sports teams. The CFL's Montreal Alouettes called it home from 1976 to 1987, while the Montreal Expos, the city’s baseball team, utilized the stadium as their primary venue until 2003.

Nevertheless, in the last twenty years, the Olympic Stadium has seen less frequent use due to construction challenges and roof-related issues. It has occasionally held concerts and was also a venue for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

BC Place, Vancouver – 54,320

BC Place, located in Vancouver, is another multi-purpose stadium that is designed to accommodate a wide range of sporting events rather than serving one particular sport exclusively.

Consequently, it has been the long-standing home for Vancouver's two major sports teams. Both the BC Lions of the CFL and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC from Major League Soccer continue to play at this stadium.

The stadium's versatile design allows it to host many different kinds of sports events. Among the notable tournaments held here are the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Additionally, it has been selected as one of the host stadiums for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where it will feature seven international soccer matches.

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Rogers Centre, Toronto – 53,506

Rogers Centre serves as the permanent home for the MLB team, the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been playing their home games there since 1989. The city’s CFL team, the Toronto Argonauts, also utilized this venue until 2015.

Thanks to its retractable roof system, Rogers Centre can host an array of sports and entertainment events. Since 1989, it has been the site for basketball, soccer, motorsports, cricket, tennis, and even WWE wrestling events.

The highest recorded attendance occurred during the 2002 WrestleMania X8 event, where the arena surpassed capacity with 68,237 attendees.

McMahon Stadium, Calgary – 35,560

McMahon Stadium in Calgary is among the older high-capacity venues, having opened its doors in 1960 and remaining under the ownership of the University of Calgary since then.

Since its inception, McMahon Stadium has been the home ground for Calgary's two prominent football teams: the CFL's Calgary Stampeders and the college's Calgary Dinos.

However, the current version of McMahon Stadium differs significantly from its original design. It started with a capacity of just 22,000, but with ongoing renovations, it now accommodates over 35,000 spectators. This expansion has enabled the venue to host a variety of sports events aside from football, including the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic and concerts featuring artists like ZZ Top, Aerosmith, and Ozzy Osbourne.