15.07.2026
13:36
source:
StadiumDB.com ;
author:
Paulina Skóra
The Canadian Football League (CFL) team BC Lions has temporarily relocated its home games to Kelowna. The move was made because BC Place Stadium in Vancouver is unavailable while it hosts matches during the FIFA World Cup. To accommodate the CFL fixtures, the city’s Apple Bowl underwent an impressive, albeit entirely temporary, expansion.
Apple bowl expanded nearly eightfold
Under normal circumstances, Apple Bowl is a modest athletics stadium with a capacity of around 2,300 spectators. Thanks to the installation of temporary grandstands, its capacity has increased to approximately 18,500 seats. New seating sections were built along the sidelines and behind the end zones, while additional facilities were added to meet the requirements of hosting professional football games.
The upgrade involved much more than increasing seating capacity. Organizers also modified the playing field to comply with CFL standards, relocated the scoreboard, installed two large temporary video screens, and created additional technical infrastructure, hospitality areas, and media facilities. Around 180 portable restrooms were also installed to accommodate the larger crowds. The temporary expansion of Apple Bowl highlights how a community stadium can be quickly transformed into a professional sports venue.
This blend of modern infrastructure and passionate crowds has also boosted the digital side of the game. Today, whether cheering from these new temporary grandstands or watching from home, fans increasingly complement their stadium experience with digital engagement, utilizing the 7signs online sportsbook to access real-time odds and betting markets on Canadian football and other major sporting events.
© Strong attendance for the first game
The first game of the Touchdown Kelowna initiative attracted more than 19,000 spectators. The turnout demonstrated the enthusiasm of fans across the Okanagan region for hosting CFL action. BC Lions officials emphasized that transforming the venue into a professional football stadium from the ground up was a major logistical achievement that proved highly successful.
The relocation is about more than simply finding an alternative venue. The club is using the opportunity to strengthen its presence beyond the Greater Vancouver area and promote Canadian football throughout British Columbia. Fans attending the games have also been able to enjoy concerts, live screenings of FIFA World Cup matches, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
The temporary expansion was partially funded by the Government of British Columbia, which contributed approximately CAD 1 million toward the project. Once the two BC Lions home games have been completed, all temporary seating and event infrastructure will be removed, allowing Apple Bowl to return to its regular role as a community athletics venue.
© Esmir Milavic (cc: by-nc-nd)
Return to BC Place after the World Cup
This is not the first time the BC Lions have been forced to play at a temporary home stadium. During the major renovation of BC Place in 2010 and 2011, the club played its home games at Empire Field, another purpose-built temporary venue.
Following the FIFA World Cup, BC Place will undergo the process of being converted back into its regular configuration. Temporary tournament installations will be dismantled, and the natural grass surface used for the World Cup will be replaced with artificial turf. The BC Lions are scheduled to return to BC Place later this month, while Vancouver Whitecaps FC are expected to resume playing at the stadium in early August.
The Kelowna project demonstrates that even a relatively small community stadium can be transformed into a modern venue capable of hosting top-level professional sporting events when supported by careful planning, efficient logistics, and the necessary infrastructure.