Best Seats at the Canadian Open – IGA Stadium Montreal and Sobeys Stadium Toronto Seating Guide

Choosing the right seat at the Canadian Open can make the difference between a comfortable, enjoyable day of world class tennis and two hours squinting into direct August sunlight wishing you had done your research beforehand.

Both IGA Stadium in Montreal and Sobeys Stadium in Toronto host the National Bank Open on outdoor hard courts during the hottest weeks of the Canadian summer. Sun position, shade availability, and sightline quality vary significantly depending on where you sit at each venue, and knowing the best seats at the Canadian Open before you buy your tickets saves both money and discomfort on match day.

This guide covers the best seats at both venues, from shaded lower bowl sections to budget upper bowl options, ground passes to reserved seats, and first-time visitor recommendations for both Montreal and Toronto.

Quick Facts:

Detail	IGA Stadium Montreal	Sobeys Stadium Toronto
Centre Court Capacity	11,815 seats	12,500 seats
Second Show Court	Rogers Court (4,300+)	No second show court
Stadium Orientation	Northwest to southeast	Circular design
Session Times	12:30 PM and 7:00 PM	11:00 AM and 7:00 PM
Official Box Office	Ticketmaster	Ticketmaster
Surface	DecoTurf hard court	DecoTurf hard court

Understanding the Two Canadian Open Venues

Before choosing your seats at the Canadian Open, understanding how IGA Stadium in Montreal and Sobeys Stadium in Toronto differ in layout helps you make the right decision for your specific match day experience.

Key differences between the two venues:

Factor	IGA Stadium Montreal	Sobeys Stadium Toronto
Design	Rectangular stadium	Circular design
Orientation	Northwest to southeast	No fixed orientation
Second show court	Rogers Court (4,300 seats)	No dedicated second show court
Sun impact	Varies significantly by section	More evenly distributed
Outer courts	11 additional courts	11 additional courts
Intimate feel	Very high, neighbourhood vibe	High, purpose-built venue

Why this matters for your seating choice:

At IGA Stadium in Montreal the rectangular orientation means sun position varies dramatically between the east and west sides of the stadium throughout the day. Choosing the wrong side on an afternoon session in August can mean sitting in direct sunlight for two to three hours.

At Sobeys Stadium in Toronto the circular design distributes sunlight more evenly across sections, though afternoon sessions still produce noticeable sun exposure in specific areas depending on the time of day.

Both venues reward fans who research their seats in advance. The guidance below covers the best seats at the Canadian Open for both Montreal and Toronto specifically.

Best Seats at IGA Stadium Montreal

IGA Stadium is oriented in a northwest to southeast direction, which makes sun position the single most important factor when choosing the best seats at the Canadian Open in Montreal.

The key orientation tip:

The chair umpire and player benches sit on the west sideline of Centre Court. That landmark helps you orient every section on the seating chart before you buy.

Best seats by sun exposure:

Section	Level	Sun Impact	Recommendation
126-133	Lower bowl west	Sun sets behind you all afternoon	Best lower bowl seats
324-331	Upper bowl west	Same sun protection at lower price	Best value upper bowl
East side sections	Lower and upper	Sun directly in your face afternoon	Morning sessions only
Centre sections	Lower and upper	Balanced but some afternoon glare	Any session works

Why west side wins every time:

Throughout August the sun tracks from south to northwest across the Montreal sky during afternoon and evening sessions. West side spectators have the sun setting behind them from approximately noon onward, eliminating glare and significantly improving comfort across long matches.

East side sections face directly into the afternoon sun from roughly 1pm until early evening, making afternoon sessions genuinely uncomfortable without sunglasses and hats.

Specific section recommendations:

• Sections 126-133 lower west: Closest to the action with full sun protection during afternoon and evening sessions. The premium choice for best seats at the Canadian Open in Montreal.
• Sections 324-331 upper west: Same sun protection as lower west at a noticeably lower price point. Excellent sightlines across the full court from an elevated position.

Best Seats on Rogers Court at IGA Stadium

Rogers Court is one of the best kept secrets at the Canadian Open in Montreal. With over 4,300 seats and an intimate atmosphere that puts fans significantly closer to the action than Centre Court, it has become one of the most sought after tickets at IGA Stadium for fans who want an up-close tennis experience.

What a Rogers Court ticket includes:

• Access to all Rogers Court matches throughout your session
• Access to Level 200 on Rogers Court
• Access to all outer courts around the grounds on a first come first served basis
• Does not include Centre Court access

Best and worst seats on Rogers Court:

Section	Sun Impact	Recommendation
114-118 west sideline	Best shade from late afternoon onward	Top choice for afternoon and evening sessions
105-109	Most sun exposure throughout the day	Avoid for afternoon sessions
206-208	Significant sun exposure	Avoid for long afternoon matches

Sections 114-118 on the west sideline of Rogers Court follow the same sun logic as Centre Court. The sun sets behind west side spectators from midday onward, making these sections the clear recommendation for any session starting after noon.

Why Rogers Court is worth considering:

• Matches on Rogers Court often feature top seeds in the early rounds and rising stars throughout the week
• The intimate 4,300 seat atmosphere creates an energy that larger Centre Court sessions cannot always replicate
• Ticket prices are significantly lower than Centre Court reserved seats while still offering world class tennis
• Doubles matches and first round singles featuring big names regularly appear on Rogers Court across the tournament week

Best Seats at Sobeys Stadium Toronto

Sobeys Stadium in Toronto uses a circular design that distributes seating evenly around the court, creating a fundamentally different sightline experience from the rectangular layout of IGA Stadium in Montreal.

What the circular design means for fans:

Unlike Montreal where east and west sides create dramatically different sun experiences, the circular design at Sobeys Stadium means sightline quality is more consistent across sections. However sun position still matters during afternoon sessions and the guidance below helps you choose the most comfortable seats for your session time.

Best seats by sun exposure and sightline:

Section	Level	Sun Impact	Recommendation
West side lower sections	Level 100	Sun sets behind you during afternoon	Best lower bowl option
West side upper sections	Level 200	Same sun protection at lower price	Best value upper bowl
East side sections	Level 100 and 200	Afternoon sun in your face	Morning sessions only
Centre sections north and south	All levels	Balanced exposure	Good for any session
Accessible seating	Top row Level 100	Clear sightlines, accessible	Reserve online with accessibility icons

Sightline quality at Sobeys Stadium:

The circular design of Stadium Court at Sobeys Stadium is one of its greatest strengths as a venue. Centre Court is designed for clean sightlines from every level, with lower bowl seats that feel right on top of the baseline and premium options like courtside boxes and suites for an elevated experience.

This means even budget upper bowl seats at Sobeys Stadium offer genuinely good views of the court, making it one of the more forgiving venues for fans who cannot access premium lower bowl sections.

Practical recommendations:

• West side lower bowl sections offer the best combination of proximity, sightline quality and sun comfort for afternoon and evening sessions
• Upper bowl west side sections represent strong value for fans wanting sun protection without paying lower bowl prices
• The circular design means there are very few genuinely poor sightlines anywhere in the venue, giving fans more flexibility than IGA Stadium when choosing budget options

Best Shaded Seats at Both Venues

August tennis in Montreal and Toronto means competing with some of the hottest and most humid conditions of the Canadian summer. Finding shaded seats at the Canadian Open is not just about comfort. It is about being able to watch tennis properly without squinting through direct sunlight for two to three hours.

Shade comparison across both venues:

Factor	IGA Stadium Montreal	Sobeys Stadium Toronto
Best shaded lower sections	126-133 west side	West side lower bowl
Best shaded upper sections	324-331 west side	West side upper bowl
Rogers Court best shade	Sections 114-118	No equivalent second court
Sun sets behind	West side from noon onward	West side from early afternoon
Most exposed sections	East side sections	East side sections
Afternoon sun peak	1pm to 4pm both venues	1pm to 4pm both venues

Shade strategy by session time:

Session	Montreal Recommendation	Toronto Recommendation
Morning (before noon)	Any section comfortable	Any section comfortable
Afternoon (noon to 6pm)	West side sections only	West side sections preferred
Evening (after 6pm)	Any section comfortable	Any section comfortable

Key shade insight for both venues:

Evening sessions after 7pm at both IGA Stadium and Sobeys Stadium are significantly more comfortable than afternoon sessions regardless of which section you choose. The sun drops below the stadium roof line during evening matches, making shade a non-issue for most spectators by the time play begins.

For afternoon sessions, west side sections at both venues are the clear recommendation. For evening sessions, section choice can be driven entirely by sightline preference and budget rather than sun avoidance.

Lower Bowl vs Upper Bowl at Both Venues

One of the most common decisions fans face when buying the best seats at the Canadian Open is whether to pay the premium for lower bowl seats or save money with upper bowl options. The answer depends on what you value most from your match day experience.

Lower bowl vs upper bowl comparison:

Factor	Lower Bowl	Upper Bowl
Proximity to players	Close, can see facial expressions	Further away, players appear smaller
Atmosphere	Intense, every point feels immediate	Good but slightly removed
Sightlines	Excellent, court level perspective	Excellent, full court overview
Price	Significantly higher	More affordable
Best for	Finals, semifinals, marquee matches	Earlier rounds, budget conscious fans
Sun exposure	Same west side advantage applies	Same west side advantage applies

At IGA Stadium Montreal:

Lower bowl west side sections 126-133 put fans closest to the action with full sun protection during afternoon sessions. The court level perspective makes every rally feel immediate and the atmosphere during big matches in these sections is exceptional.

Upper bowl west side sections 324-331 offer the same sun protection at a noticeably lower price. The elevated position provides a complete overview of the court that some fans actually prefer for following tactical patterns and court positioning across long rallies.

At Sobeys Stadium Toronto:

The circular design at Sobeys Stadium means the quality difference between lower and upper bowl is less pronounced than at rectangular venues. Clean sightlines from every level make upper bowl sections genuinely competitive with lower bowl options for fans who prioritise value over proximity.

Honest recommendation:

For finals and semifinals, lower bowl west side sections at both venues are worth the premium price. For earlier rounds, upper bowl west side sections offer excellent value with the same sun protection and very little sacrifice in the overall match day experience.

Ground Pass vs Reserved Seats – Which Is Better?

One of the most underrated decisions at the Canadian Open is choosing between a ground pass and a reserved seat. Both offer genuine value depending on how you prefer to experience the tournament.

What each ticket type includes:

Ticket Type	IGA Stadium Montreal	Sobeys Stadium Toronto
Ground pass	All outer courts, first come first served	All outer courts, first come first served
Rogers Court ticket	Rogers Court plus outer courts	Not applicable
Centre Court ticket	Centre Court plus Level 200 Rogers Court plus outer courts	Stadium Court plus outer courts
Courtside premium	Best lower bowl sections, highest price	Best lower bowl sections, highest price

Ground pass – who it suits best:

• Fans who want to explore the full venue across a full day session
• Tennis enthusiasts who enjoy watching multiple matches simultaneously across different courts
• Budget conscious fans who want world class tennis at the lowest price point
• Fans attending qualifying rounds where outer court action features exciting emerging players
• First time visitors who want to experience the full Canadian Open atmosphere before committing to reserved sections

Reserved seats – who it suits best:

• Fans attending semifinals and finals where Centre Court hosts the biggest matches
• Groups who want guaranteed seating together without arriving early to claim spots
• Fans with specific sun protection requirements who need confirmed west side sections
• Visitors making a one-day trip who want a guaranteed experience without logistical uncertainty

Honest value assessment:

Ground passes represent outstanding value during the first week of the tournament when outer courts feature high quality matches in an intimate setting. Reserved Centre Court seats become genuinely worth the premium from the quarterfinals onward when the biggest names in tennis are guaranteed to appear on the main stage.

Best Seats for First-Time Visitors

If this is your first Canadian Open experience, choosing the right seat matters more than for returning fans who already know what to expect from each section and court at both venues.

First-time visitor recommendations by budget:

Budget	Montreal Recommendation	Toronto Recommendation
Premium	Lower bowl west sections 126-133, Centre Court	Lower bowl west side, Stadium Court
Mid-range	Upper bowl west sections 324-331, Centre Court	Upper bowl west side, Stadium Court
Budget	Rogers Court sections 114-118	Ground pass plus outer courts
Lowest cost	Ground pass, outer courts	Ground pass, outer courts

For first-time visitors in Montreal:

The single best first Canadian Open experience at IGA Stadium is an evening session reserved seat in upper bowl west side sections 324-331. You get full sun protection, excellent sightlines across the entire court, a genuinely atmospheric evening session under the lights, and a price point significantly below lower bowl options.

If budget allows, upgrading to lower bowl west sections 126-133 for a semifinal or final delivers the closest thing to a perfect Canadian Open experience available at IGA Stadium Montreal.

For first-time visitors in Toronto:

The circular design at Sobeys Stadium makes almost any section a reasonable first-time choice. Upper bowl west side sections during an evening session deliver strong sightlines, comfortable conditions, and the full atmosphere of a WTA 1000 event without the premium lower bowl price.

Three universal tips for first-time visitors at both venues:

• Always choose west side sections for afternoon and early evening sessions regardless of venue or budget
• Evening sessions deliver a significantly better first-time experience than afternoon sessions due to cooler temperatures and charged atmosphere under the lights
• Arriving early for ground pass sessions claims the best courtside positions on outer courts before crowds build

Conclusion

Choosing the best seats at the Canadian Open comes down to three simple priorities. Sun protection, sightline quality, and matching your budget to the right session.

At IGA Stadium in Montreal, west side sections 126-133 in the lower bowl and 324-331 in the upper bowl deliver the best combination of shade and sightlines for afternoon and evening sessions. Rogers Court sections 114-118 offer an intimate alternative at a lower price point. At Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, the circular design gives fans strong sightlines from virtually every section, with west side seats providing the same sun protection advantage as Montreal.

Evening sessions at both venues deliver the most comfortable and atmospheric Canadian Open experience regardless of which section you choose. For first-time visitors, an upper bowl west side evening session ticket represents the best entry point into what is consistently one of the finest live tennis experiences in North America.

To book your tickets and check confirmed session times for this summer, explore our complete Canadian Open tickets guide and schedule page.