BMO Stadium


BMO Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC and the National Women's Soccer League's Angel City FC. Opened on April 18, 2018, it was the first open-air stadium built in the city of Los Angeles since Dodger Stadium in 1962.
Constructed on the site of the former Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, it is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and just south of the main campus of the University of Southern California. Los Angeles FC subleases the site from the university which has a master lease with the LA Memorial Coliseum Commission for operating and managing the Coliseum and stadium properties.
Los Angeles FC signed a 15-year, $100 million naming rights deal with Banc of California in 2016 for the stadium. The deal was terminated in 2020, with the club announcing an eventual renaming in the coming years. In 2023, Bank of Montreal was announced as the new stadium sponsor.

History

Planning and construction

The Los Angeles Times reported on May 17, 2015, that the team chose the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena site to build a 22,000-seat state-of-the-art stadium for the MLS in Exposition Park, costing $250 million. The group estimated the project would create 1,200 temporary construction jobs and 1,800 full-time jobs, generating $2.5 million in annual tax revenue. The environmental impact report, arena demolition, and stadium construction were expected to take three years and delay the team's debut to 2018.
On May 6, 2016, the Los Angeles City Council approved the stadium, clearing a way for the construction of the stadium.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on August 23, 2016. At the event attended by owners and construction crews, LAFC announced a 15-year, $100 million naming rights deal for the stadium with the Banc of California. Demolition of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena began shortly after the groundbreaking and was completed by October 2016.

Opening

The first public event at the stadium was an open practice and dedication ceremony held on April 18, 2018. The club's first match was played on April 29 against Seattle Sounders FC, with the home side winning 1–0. The lone goal was scored by Laurent Ciman in stoppage time in front of a capacity crowd of 22,000.
On May 26, 2020, Banc of California announced that they planned to end the naming rights deal, paying $20 million for early termination but remaining the club's banking sponsor. The Bank of Montreal was announced as the new naming rights sponsor on January 19, 2023, shortly after acquiring the California-based Bank of the West.
In November 2020, it was announced that the newly formed Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League would play at the stadium.

Features

Design

The seating capacity of the stadium is 22,000. The stadium's seating is at 34 degrees, which makes it among the steepest in MLS. The closest seats are from the field and all seats are within of the field. It includes of walkways and plazas open to the public. The stadium also features press box suites with a water fountain.
The ground's North End is home to the "3252" supporters group, so named for the number of seats in the safe standing section. It was built at an incline of 34 degrees and features angled handrails that are designed to resemble those used on rollercoasters. The central section of the stand has a removable stage for use during concerts and other events outside of sports. On top of the North End is a supporter-designed bar which can only be accessed from 3252 section.
A northeast slice of the stadium was designed to be open to capture the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the San Gabriel Mountains. Members of the media in the angled press box have one of the best vantage points to peer through the "keyhole".
The roof is covered with of ETFE film. The field is of improved bermuda grass.
Five percent of the stadium's parking spaces have electric vehicle charging stations and 20% electric vehicle ready infrastructure. The stadium has 440 planned parking spaces for bicycles and a bike path to the stadium as part of the My Figueroa Project. The stadium is a LEED Silver certified building.

2028 Summer Olympics

The stadium will be a part of the Downtown Sports Park and host flag football and lacrosse events when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Major events

Soccer

The stadium was a venue for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. It hosted two matches in Group C. It also hosted the 2021 MLS All-Star Game on August 25, 2021.
DateHome TeamResultAway TeamTournamentSpectators
May 22, 2018

Other sports

Rugby Union

It was announced on April 4, 2017, that the stadium would be host to rugby sevens tournaments. It was planned to be the permanent home of the $1M Champion Sevens organized by Grand Prix Rugby, with the first edition commencing in 2018. However, as of 2023, no rugby union games have been played at the stadium.

Lacrosse

It was announced on April 1, 2019, that the stadium would host the inaugural Premier Lacrosse League All-Star Game on July 21, 2019.

Boxing

On August 17, 2019, Banc of California Stadium held its first boxing event, a WBO junior featherweight title fight with Emanuel Navarrete successfully defending his title against Francisco De Vaca by 3rd round technical knockout. The stadium held Austin McBroom vs. AnEsonGib on September 10, 2022, a professional crossover boxing event.
The second professional boxing event to take place at the stadium was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions headlined by Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez vs. Sullivan Barrera on July 9, 2021. The event also featured Joseph Diaz defeating Javier Fortuna. In the main event, Ramirez won via fourth round stoppage after dropping Barrera multiple times.
The first event at the stadium under the name of BMO Stadium took place on August 4, 2024. The main event saw Terence Crawford move up to super welterweight and defeat Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision to win the WBA world title, becoming a four-weight world champion. The event was promoted under the Riyadh Season banner and was the first to take place outside of Saudi Arabia.

Other events

Concerts

BMO Stadium is also designed to host concerts and other musical events. It hosted KIIS-FM's 2018 Wango Tango concert on June 2 of that year. Beck appeared in October 2018.
Mumford & Sons brought their Delta Tour to the stadium on August 3, 2019. Iron Maiden's Legacy of the Beast World Tour was announced for September 14, 2019 at the stadium as well.
The Rolling Loud hip-hop music festival was held at the stadium in 2018 and 2019. Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Cardi B, and Lil Uzi Vert, among others, performed at the 2018 show, while Chance the Rapper, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Future, A$AP Rocky, Meek Mill, YG, and Playboi Carti were part of the 2019 show.
Hard rock band Guns N' Roses played a sold-out show on August 19, 2021, as part of their We're F'N' Back! Tour. The show grossed over $3.4 million and was attended by 21,950 patrons.
Armenian American Heavy metal band System of a Down performed two shows on February 4 & 5, 2022 at the stadium with KoЯn serving as main support.
The stadium hosted A State of Trance 1000 with Armin van Buuren, Cosmic Gate, Gabriel & Dresden, MaRLo, & Ruben de Ronde performing on April 9, 2022. K-pop girl group Twice held the encore concert for their 4th World Tour 'III' on May 14–15, 2022. The Killers performed a sold-out show with 23,439 attendees for their Imploding the Mirage Tour on August 27. As part of their Paradise Again World Tour, EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia played a sold out show on September 9.
K-pop girl group Blackpink played two nights at the stadium on November 19 & 20, 2022 for their Born Pink World Tour.
In 2023, K-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together performed two sold-out shows on May 27 and 28 as part of their Act Sweet Mirage Tour. blink-182 performed at the stadium on June 16 & 17, 2023, as part of their reunion tour with Tom DeLonge. During the first show, Kourtney Kardashian revealed her pregnancy with her husband and drummer Travis Barker. Fall Out Boy and Bring Me the Horizon performed at the stadium on July 2 & 3, 2023, as part of the former band's So Much For Dust. Hard Summer hosted part of their 2023 festival at the stadium on August 5 and 6, which included the nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park. Mexican group RBD is set to perform four concerts on October 18–20 and 22 as part of their reunion tour, marking the first time the group will be performing live together in 15 years. Queen + Adam Lambert are slated to play two consecutive shows, on November 11 and 12, as part of their Rhapsody Tour; the November 11 show sold-out within an hour of tickets going on-sale, which led to the November 12 date being added.
On July 20 and 21, 2024, ATEEZ held two sold-out shows at the venue for their Towards The Light: Will To Power world tour. KoЯn performed a special 30th anniversary show at the stadium on October 5, 2024, with Evanescence, Gojira, among others opening the show.
In 2024, K-pop boy group Seventeen performed two sold-out shows on November 9 and November 10 as part of their Right Here World Tour.
In 2025, J-Hope of BTS performed two shows on April 4 and April 6 as part of his Hope on the Stage Tour. Tomorrow X Together performed one show on September 9 of their Act: Tomorrow Tour. Twenty One Pilots will conclude The Clancy World Tour on October 25 & 26 at the stadium.
Latin Pop superstar Gloria Trevi is scheduled to perform a special one-night only concert on February 28, 2026, promoted as "Live Celebration" to celebrate her 58th birthday. Tickets sale started December 5th with no pre-sales. As of December 2025, this is Trevi's only 2026 show in the United States and her first ever headlining concert in the Stadium. No opening acts have been announced to join Trevi on this special event.
Metal band Iron Maiden is scheduled to bring their Run for Your Lives World Tour for two nights on September 25-26, 2026 with special guests Megadeth and Anthrax. The second show was later announced due to overwhelming demand after the first show completely sold-out.