Winnipeg Soccer Complex

[gkhs]

Just wondering, what is the Winnipeg Soccer Complex?

I noticed that, in past qualifying rounds it has been a venue for matches...could anyone offer a narrative description, or post photos or links?

[SthMelbRed]

Wasn't it a temporary facility built for the Commonwealth Games? If I recall correctly, it was a very basic pitch surrounded by temporary metal bleachers with enough seating for about ten thousand. They dismantled it immediately after the games.

[jonovision]

quote:Originally posted by SthMelbRed

Wasn't it a temporary facility built for the Commonwealth Games? If I recall correctly, it was a very basic pitch surrounded by temporary metal bleachers with enough seating for about ten thousand. They dismantled it immediately after the games.

You're pretty close, although it was the Pan-Am games (1999). It's a multi-field complex, as you have in many cities, with pretty basic facilities and seating that was built up a bit for the games with temporary installations. I saw the match there against Cuba in '99, my first and only MNT affair, a 0-0 draw.

In recent years it has been closed for re-sodding or something like that, although I think it was open in 2007.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Also the home field for the Winnipeg Fury of the CSL. Seating is around 4,000, but for Pan-AM Games it was around 10,000.

Canada beat Honduras in an exhibtion, beat Panama in WCQing, and had a draw vs Cuba in WCQing. Seating for all these games was around 9,000.

[redhat]

There are 2 playing fields, with a main grandstand field.

During the Pan Am games in '99, the pitch was immaculate.

Both were grass, and the field were alternately used to protect

the quality. Don't think that's the case in the recent past.

To attract WCQ in 2000, a friendly with Honduras was held with

about 9,000 pro-Canadian spectators. The city further pledged

to build a permanent structure, but nothing materialized.

A WCQ match with Panama was scheduled on a Thanksgiving Monday,

poorly attended, although about 5,000 showed up (mostly on the

same side as TSN's cameras, so it looked like only 300 showed up).

There are permanent steel bleachers on one side, but they used

wooden and steel temporary bleachers to add additional seating

during the Pan Ams and WCQ. Typical.

[gkhs]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Canada beat Honduras in an exhibtion, beat Panama in WCQing, and had a draw vs Cuba in WCQing. Seating for all these games was around 9,000.

Is there any other venue where our record is that good?

Thanks all for the info.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by gkhs

Is there any other venue where our record is that good?

Good point! That never occurred to me. Not only have the results been good but also its seems that ( comparatively speaking ) the goal scoring has been better.

If I am not mistaken its place where we scored our only goal of the semi final round of qualifying in 2002.

[Daniel]

We're 100% in Montreal (1-0-0).

Winnipeg saw its last game when it only drew 2,500 vs Panama (at that point both teams were eliminated).

[themodelcitizen]

from talking to bobby mcmahon, I got the impression that the field and facilities were nowhere near up to FIFA standards. Thankfully we're now in a position where we have 1 or 2 prime venues (BMO and soon Saputo) along with Edmonton that we won't have to resort to WSC or Swanguard.