World Cup Ready: B.C. Place Upgrades Complete for FIFA Tournament
B.C. Place has been undergoing extensive renovations for over a year, with the final touches being completed just in time for the FIFA World Cup. The stadium's general manager, Chris May, announced that the upgrades are on schedule and within budget. The World Cup, featuring 48 nations and 104 games across 16 host cities in North America, will kick off in Mexico City and Guadalajara on June 11. B.C. Place will host seven games, starting with a match between Australia and Turkey on June 13.
Toronto Stadium, formerly known as BMO Field, hosted a successful match between Inter Miami and Toronto FC, with a record crowd of 44,828. The stadium underwent a $146-million renovation to meet FIFA's minimum capacity requirement of 40,000. B.C. Place is also undergoing upgrades, with new elevators, a scoreboard, and locker room improvements. The artificial turf has been replaced with a temporary grass playing surface.
Trey Rogers and his team from Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee were tasked with growing grass inside B.C. Place and the other World Cup venues. They determined the best grass species mix for each venue, with Vancouver using a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. The grass was grown on plastic trays by sod farms across North America and will be maintained with grow lights throughout the tournament.
The World Cup playing surfaces project began in 2020, with challenges such as delays in product delivery and infrastructure changes at some American stadiums. The research team worked to create consistent playing experiences across all 16 venues. Vancouver's grass surface is in excellent condition, thanks to the efforts of the turf team. The city is ready to showcase its hosting capabilities to the world during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.