The National Bank Open Montreal Guide for Fans Who Actually Care

Everything you need to know before you go — written by fans, not PR departments

The Quick Verdict

Montreal in August is tennis's best-kept secret. The National Bank Open — the men's version, held in even-numbered years like 2026 — runs at Stade IGA, a compact, well-organised venue in a city that treats the tournament like a summer festival. The North American hard court season starts here, two weeks before the US Open, and the best players in the world arrive in the strange transitional mindset between the clay swing and the fast concrete of New York. The tennis is excellent, the city is vibrant, the crowds are knowledgeable and bilingual, and tickets are significantly cheaper than anything you'll pay at a Grand Slam. For value per unit of tennis quality, Montreal is hard to beat.

Getting Your Tickets

Tickets are sold through the official National Bank Open website at nationalbankopen.com. The 2026 tournament runs 12 days with 21 sessions — the expanded Masters 1000 format gives you significantly more options than the old eight-day format. Tickets are sold by session, with reserved seats on Centre Court (11,715 capacity) and National Bank Court (4,296 capacity), plus grounds admission for the outer courts.

One very useful benefit: your National Bank Open ticket includes free access to Montreal public transit (STM metro and bus network) on the day of your session. This is a practical convenience that removes the transport cost from your day entirely.

The second week (from around 8 August) is when the draw narrows to the final 16 players. The Round of 16 and quarterfinals — on Centre Court, at night — are the sessions serious fans target. Prices are still dramatically lower than comparable sessions at the US Open or Wimbledon.

Getting There

Stade IGA is in the Outremont neighbourhood in the north of the island of Montreal. Metro Line 2 (Orange) to Parc station, then a 15-minute walk through a pleasant residential neighbourhood. The tournament also operates shuttle services from various central points. Given the free transit benefit on match day, there's no reason to take anything other than the metro.

Seat Guide

Centre Court

11,715 seats. The outdoor stadium has good sightlines throughout; the lower bowl Level 100 is reserved and gives you the closest views. Level 200 (upper level) is accessible to Centre Court ticket holders on a first-come, first-served basis — arrive early to get the best spots. For shade during day sessions, the south and west sides of the stadium have more cover as the afternoon progresses. At night, the west side is the better bet.

National Bank Court

The second show court at 4,296 seats is where you find some of the tournament's most interesting matches in the early rounds. Level 100 is reserved; Level 200 is first-come-first-served for Centre Court ticket holders. Worth checking the order of play the day before — a top-10 match here in the early rounds can be a genuinely intimate experience.

Outer Courts

The outer courts run doubles from the start and singles early-round matches. Access is included with any main court ticket. Standard etiquette: don't move during points.

Food and Drink

The Stade IGA grounds have a food and beverage courtyard with local cuisine options, craft beer, and the usual tournament range. Montreal is a genuinely great food city — the smoked meat at Schwartz's Deli (15 minutes from the venue) is an obligatory Montreal experience, as are the bagels from St-Viateur Bagel in the Plateau neighbourhood. The real eating happens in the city, not the stadium.

One restriction: alcohol is not allowed on site. Outside food is generally permitted (sealed, non-alcoholic drinks). Small lunches brought in are fine in practice.

What to Wear

August in Montreal is warm and humid — typically 25-30C, sometimes higher. Casual, light clothing. Sunscreen for day sessions on the outer courts. A light layer for evenings — Montreal nights can get surprisingly cool after sunset. No formal dress code whatsoever.

Things to Do Beyond the Tennis

Montreal during August is the city at its most enjoyable. The Just for Laughs festival sometimes overlaps with the tennis (check dates). The Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood is excellent for an evening wander — independent restaurants, bars on terraces, a relaxed Quebecois energy. Mont-Royal Park is a 30-minute walk from the venue and worth the climb for the city view. Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal) along the St Lawrence River is beautiful in the evening.

Note: this is Canada and it's August. The mosquitoes are real. Bring repellent if you're spending time in parks or near water.

Hospitality Packages

The National Bank Open offers VIP packages through official channels with lounge access, premium seating, and catering. Prices are significantly lower than Grand Slam hospitality — typically CAD$300-800 per person for a premium session. The value proposition here is strong. We've curated a selection — view hospitality packages here.

Fan Reviews

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