The Quebec government has approved plans to renovate the stadium, making it suitable for large-scale concerts and events. The upheaval of its indoor seating, premium spaces and concessions is set to complete in 2028.
Montreal's Olympic Stadium is ready to join the ranks of Canada's entertainment powerhouses.
The Quebec government has approved new plans for the Big O to undergo a series of interior renovations which would allow it to host major sporting events and stadium-sized concerts. While no amount has been disclosed yet, the changes are set to be competed by 2028, the year in which the stadium is currently already set to reopen.
“We are finally realizing our ambitions. After several decades of waiting, the stadium will finally be able to fully realize its potential as a world-class infrastructure and allow Montreal to compete with the largest North American metropolises,” says Chamber president and CEO Jean-Denis Charest.
advertisement
It's a big opportunity for Montreal to enter as one of the giants in the rapid-growing market of major stadium shows in Canada, alongside venues like Toronto's Rogers Stadium and Rogers Centre and Vancouver's BC Place, which have welcomed many of the biggest tours in the world over the last few years. With the exception of the odd pair of Metallica shows in 2023, the former home of the Montreal Expos has not hosted any concerts since One Direction's On The Road Again tour stopped in the city in 2015. The Big O has been closed since 2024, currently undergoing a staggering $870 million renovation of its roof, which includes a replacement of its technical ring. The new roof is expected to last another 50 years.
“Let’s not forget this is the only large covered stadium in Eastern Canada that can hold more than 50,000 people for major international tours. Given market interest in a modernized venue, our stadium has everything it needs to become a major driver of prosperity for Quebec," says Quebec tourism minister Amélie Dionne.
According to Montreal newspaper La Presse, well-informed sources told the outlet that Céline Dion's team is in preliminary discussions for a potential performance to inaugurate the stadium's reopening. She previously took the stage at the venue in 1986 during Pope John Paul II's visit, and is set to make her grand return to performing later this year with a sold-out residency at Plenitude Arena (formerly La Défense Arena) in Paris, comprised of 16 concerts in Sept. and Oct. 2026, plus an additional ten in May 2027. According to Tourism Montreal, the stint will generate around 500 million euros ($800,660 CAD) while welcoming over half a million fans.
advertisement
With Olympic Stadium unable to host concerts, it cost the city the opportunity to host several blockbuster tours in recent, including Taylor Swift's monumental Eras Tour. With six sold-out nights in Toronto in 2023, the trek is estimated to have generated a citywide economic impact of $282 million, plus $39.7 million in direct and indirect spending. Another major show was Coldplay's Music of the Spheres tour, the second-highest-grossing tour of all-time, a trek so successful that Toronto built a stadium just to host it.
With the proper infrastructure to host bigger events, Dionne says the Olympic Stadium will generate high economic impact for both Montreal and the entire Quebec province, while also putting the city on the world stage. The new renovations will notably include an overhaul of the venue's indoor seating, premium spaces, concession stands and bathrooms, including new terraces.
advertisement
The seating is set to be reconfigured to a more rectangular layout, with seats moved 30 metres closer to the field to welcome more sports games. The CF Montréal soccer team notably cited these renovations as a requirement for them to move into the stadium in 2027, amid changing to a winter schedule which its current home, the Saputo Stadium, cannot accommodate as an outdoor venue.
advertisement
"CF Montréal welcomes today's announcement regarding the modernization of Olympic Stadium. This marks an important milestone and reflects a commitment to providing the province of Quebec with sports and entertainment infrastructure that matches its ambitions," the team said in a statement following the announcement.
The Olympic Stadium celebrates its 50th anniversary this year after initially being built for Expo 67, the 1967 World's Fair hosted in Montreal. With these new plans, the city is ready to rewrite its legacy for the next 50.
