45,000 Expected at BMO Field for Toronto Vs Inter Miami Test
Toronto FC’s last home game before August arrives with toronto vs inter miami on Saturday at an expanded BMO Field, and the crowd size is the point. About 45,000 fans are expected for Lionel Messi’s visit, turning the match into a dress rehearsal for World Cup operations.
BMO Field Test Run
All 17,000 temporary seats installed for the men’s soccer showcase will be used for the first time, giving the venue its fullest look before the tournament begins. The expected crowd would top the 40,148 who watched the NHL’s outdoor Centennial Classic between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 1, 2017.
Chris Shewfelt said the scale is unlike a normal match. “We’ve never put just under 45,00 people into the building before” he said, adding, “So this is our way of making sure we get it right. … The pressure’s on, but we’ve been preparing for this for a very long time.”
Robin Fraser’s Traffic Warning
Robin Fraser is already telling fans to plan around the traffic. “I’ve had some disastrous drives to the stadium for the Canadian national team games in the last six or eight months,” he said ahead of Saturday’s match. “So I would advise everyone to leave early and/or take public transportation.”
That advice lines up with the weekend setup around the venue. The Don Valley Parkway is closed for maintenance, and an afternoon Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre is scheduled to start two hours after the MLS kickoff. Gates will open 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, instead of the normal one hour.
World Cup Setup at BMO
Fans will enter through two gates on the east side of the venue near the Coca-Cola Coliseum and Enercare Centre, and those gates will be the main points of entry during the World Cup. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has increased game-day staff, while Saturday also tests new concessions, restrooms, and the stadium’s expanded perimeter.
Shewfelt said the build-out adds scrutiny as well as capacity. “The volume of events around the city is a lot this weekend, for sure,” he said. “And getting ready for a [World Cup] test event … is different than hosting a normal Miami match.” He also pointed to “increased observation by everyone from FIFA to certain city agencies that are involved in FIFA like the ISSU – the Integrated Safety and Security Unit – to all the different constituents that are going to be involved in pulling off the games in June-July.”
BMO Field will host six World Cup games starting with Canada’s June 12 opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, then four more group-stage games and a round-of-32 fixture on July 2. During the tournament, the venue will be called Toronto Stadium because of sponsorship issues, and Saturday’s crowd will be the first real stress test of the expanded building before those matches arrive.
