Where to watch pro sports games in Ontario
In Ontario, Canada, major sports and devoted fans combine to create an atmosphere that rivals any of the world’s great sports destinations.
Baseball
In a country filled with regional sports rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays stand alone in laying claim to being "Canada’s Team." After back-to-back World Series titles in the early 90s and playoff successes earlier this decade, fans are hopeful for another major win under the retractable roof at the Rogers Centre.
Hockey
Canadians love their sports, but make no mistake—nothing brings the nation together quite like a big Saturday night NHL game. Toronto is home to Leafs Nation, and long-suffering and eternally optimistic Maple Leafs fans have good reason to believe this is the year that the team’s 50+-year Stanley Cup drought comes to an end. If you’re lucky enough to attend a playoff game, you’ll witness an intensity you might not expect of the normally polite and reserved locals.
Even without tickets to the game, you can witness Leafs playoff excitement at every location that has a TV, or join the huge crowds that gather to watch on the big screen in Maple Leaf Square, just outside Scotiabank Arena. And no hockey pilgrimage to Toronto is complete without a visit to the sport’s shrine to greatness, the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Toronto isn’t the only Ontario city devoted to the country’s national winter sport. The Ottawa Senators may not have the history of their provincial rival, but that doesn’t mean the team’s fan base is any less passionate. The same holds true of the cities that are home to Ontario Hockey League teams. In Niagara, Windsor, London and Kingston, just to name a few, you can catch the next generation of NHL superstars.
Basketball
In Toronto, the Raptors have captured the imagination of sports fans young and old. Thanks to rapper Drake’s influence, the "We The North" banner, and the historic 2019 Championship win, the team and its fans have adopted a confident swagger over the past few years.
The Raptors and Leafs share the same arena. Both boast raucous crowds. And on game nights, the party atmosphere outside transforms Maple Leaf Square into "Jurassic Park."
Football
If you like offence, you’ll love the Canadian Football League. A bigger field and only three downs means this pass-first game provides non-stop excitement and often ridiculously high scores.
In Ontario, the Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Ottawa REDBLACKS vie for the Grey Cup, a championship that dates back over 100 years.
Golf
The RBC Canadian Open attracts popular names in golf. The CP Women’s Open is on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. Canada’s golf hero Brooke Henderson captured the title in 2018.
Soccer
Go to a Toronto FC game and prepare to stand and chant for 90 minutes, an atmosphere on par with what one might find in Europe and South America. Canadian Premier League features two Ontario teams: York United FC in Toronto and Forge FC in Hamilton. Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé!
Motorsports
For motorsports fans, the IndyCar circuit roars into Exhibition Place on Toronto’s waterfront in the summer for the Honda Indy. The two-day festival that surrounds the event is every bit as rockin’ as the big race itself.
Even more sports worth seeing ...
UFC Fight Night: Check the schedule for a show in Ottawa.
National Bank Open: Catch this key event in the US Open Series in Toronto.
Toronto Rock: Perennial National Lacrosse League powerhouses, The Rock are winners of many league titles—not to mention, lacrosse is actually the national summer sport of Canada.
Toronto Defiant: eSports aficionados welcomed Toronto to the Overwatch League in 2019. Join fellow Overwatch enthusiasts in real-life settings like Click ESports in Ottawa.
Where to stay, eat and play
In Toronto
Stay in trendy places that ooze style without sacrificing convenience. Le Germain Hotel Maple Leaf Square is just steps away from the Scotiabank Arena and the Rogers Centre. The Fairmont Royal York, Toronto’s landmark heritage hotel, underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation and is perfectly situated within walking distance of all the downtown sports and nightlife action.
Eat at restaurants that serve up delicious food and amazing views of Canada’s largest city. At Kost, sample a menu inspired by the Baja Peninsula on the 44th floor of Bisha Hotel. Falcon SkyBar offers glorious waterfront views from its three-level rooftop perch at Hotel X.
You won’t find a better view than from 360 The Restaurant‘s revolving dining room 1,150 feet (350 metres) up the CN Tower. Sportsnet Grill, located in the Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel, offers superfans the ultimate dining experience with a bird’s-eye view over the Rogers Centre.
Do as the locals do and tap into Canada’s craft brew scene at Left Field Brewery, where baseball-inspired brews are served in a super chill east end brewery (the head of security and customer relations is a basset hound).
Steam Whistle Brewing, located at the Roundhouse—a Toronto landmark just steps from the Rogers Centre—is a must before and/or after a Jays game. And The Loose Moose is a perfect pre- and post-game hotspot, boasting one of the largest draft selections in the city and live music in the underground Antler Room.
In Hamilton
Stay at C by Carmen’s, a boutique hotel with celebrity-themed rooms, a rooftop lounge, heated indoor pool and suites with full kitchenettes. In the heart of the city, the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel offers roomy suites that are perfect for groups.
The downtown dining scene is where "Steeltown" sets itself apart. At Born & Raised, owner/chef and Top Chef Canada finalist Vittorio Colacitti blends local ingredients to create a bold and vibrant Italian menu. It’s worth venturing 11 kilometres from downtown to dine at Ancaster Mill (housed in a restored heritage mill, overlooking a scenic waterfall—one of over 100 in the area), where the menu is dedicated to farm-to-table fare.
Naturally, a game and a meal calls for a bar hop. Collective Arts Brewing is an experience unto itself. This hotspot combines local craft beer with a thriving music and arts scene. If your idea of a home run is a sausage-based menu served with craft beer, then you’ll want to head over to Merit Brewing. And at Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill and Bar, there’s a chance you may bump into the former Maple Leafs captain at his casual grill house.
In Ottawa
To stay close to the sports action, you’ll want to check into Brookstreet Hotel, the "official hotel of the Ottawa Senators" located in Kanata. It’s just a short distance from the Canadian Tire Centre and offers a 15% discount the night before and night of Senators games. For autograph and selfie hounds, it’s also a popular hotel for the visiting teams.
To stay close to the action in the heart of the city, the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market features contemporary, Canadian design with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Parliament Buildings, Gatineau Hills and the bustling market below. You’ll love the little touches like a welcome beverage and complimentary non-alcoholic minibar drinks and snacks, as well as Ottawa’s tallest rooftop lounge.
There’s more to Ottawa’s palate than poutine or BeaverTails (although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either of them). Sur-Lie Restaurant and Wine Bar, located in ByWard Market, is an upscale eatery focused on modern French cuisine.
An unforgettable meal at Signatures Restaurant, Le Cordon Bleu, the in-house restaurant of the prestigious French culinary institute, the only one in Canada, will save you the trip to France. And at Atelier, Marc Lepine (the owner and one of Canada’s most recognized chefs) serves up a 12-course tasting menu of innovative "new Canadian" food.
When it comes to enjoying a pint or cocktail, you can't go wrong in the seat of Canadian political life. Union 613, a hip speakeasy-style hangout with communal seating, is renowned for its outstanding cocktails and late-night menu.
If an upscale pub with an impressively curated menu of craft brews from around Ontario sounds more to your liking, visit Wellington Gastropub and sample local darling Beau’s flagship Lug Tread Certified organic lager ale. Join the local fans at The Senate Tavern, whose Clarence Street location provides a Senators game-day return shuttle service.
Whether you’re following your team across the border or find yourself joining enthusiastic locals and adopting a new favourite, Ontario welcomes sports fans of all stripes.
Last updated: October 16, 2023