There are 30 different NFL stadiums currently in use, with a near 100-year difference between the oldest (Chicago’s Soldier Field) and newest (Los Angeles’s SoFi Stadium).
One features the largest jumbotron (AT&T Stadium in Dallas), while another has a full pirate ship replica (Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay).
In short—there’s something unique about every place that an NFL team calls home. But which stadium can hold the most fans?
Here are the 10 biggest NFL stadiums.
What are the biggest NFL stadiums?
There’s big, and then there’s big. Three NFL stadiums have a capacity of at least 80,000—MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., can hold 82,500. Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc., can hold 81,441. And AT&T Stadium (colloquially referred to as “Jerryworld” after team owner Jerry Jones) can hold 80,000.
All three of these are in the top 20 of largest U.S. stadiums.
Full list of the 10 Biggest NFL Stadiums
10. 71,008 - M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens
9. 71,608 - Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills
8. 72,220 - NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans
7. 73,208 - Caesars Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints
6. 74,867 - Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers
5. 76,125 - Empower Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos
4. 76,416 - Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs
3. 80,000 - AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys
2. 81,441 - Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers
1. 82,500 - MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants
AT&T Stadium: The home of the Dallas Cowboys
Outside of the Cowboys, AT&T Stadium is used annually for the Big 12 Conference championship game.
Everyone knows the stadium is big … but it’s “see it from space” big. No, seriously. The massive dome is visible from outer space.
The record attendance for an NFL game in this stadium is 105,121, which happened in 2009. But the overall record for AT&T Stadium came in 2010 for the NBA All-Star Game (108,713).
MetLife Stadium: The largest NFL stadium
Home to both the New York Jets and Giants, MetLife Stadium features the largest 360-degree HD video display.
Until SoFi Stadium became the home of both the Chargers and Rams, MetLife Stadium was the only stadium to carry two NFL teams.
The attendance record was set in 2012 for Siyum HaShas, a Jewish gathering that saw 93,000 come through the gates.
Lambeau Field: A historic giant in the NFL
Named for Packers co-founder Curly Lambeau, Lambeau Field originally opened in 1957 with 32,000 seats. Multiple renovations later and now more than 81,000 fans fill the stands to watch Green Bay.
In fact, Lambeau Field is the oldest continuously used NFL stadium, operating for nearly seven decades. But the famous “Lambeau Leap” didn’t start until the early 1990s.
Arrowhead Stadium: The NFL’s most hostile venue
Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972 with a bowl-shaped design to maximize crowd noise. And it worked. All 76,416 fans packed inside the stands helped break the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd in 2014.
The Kansas City faithful hit a staggering 142.2 decibels against the Patriots—which is louder than a jet engine during takeoff.
Arrowhead was just named the top NFL stadium by USA Today readers.
Mile High Stadium: Thin air & orange crush
The 76,000+ Denver fans that pack the stadium create a unique sound called “Mile High Thunder” by stomping on the metal bleachers. The ensuing rumble reverberates throughout the stadium, creating a real problem for opposing offenses.
And as the name suggests, the stadium is precisely one mile above sea level, which means the air is thin. The result? Some of the longest field goals in NFL history have come inside of Mile High.
Fans are always quick to point out Bucky the Bronco sitting atop the roof. The 27-foot bronco statue was brought from the old stadium as a symbol of team pride.
How do the NFL’s biggest stadiums compare to other sports venues?
While the NFL may be king of American sports, most NFL stadiums are much, much smaller than those found on college campuses.
There are eight stadiums with a 100,000+ capacity in the United States, all of which are homes to college football teams.
1. Michigan Stadium, Michigan Wolverines (107,601)
2. Beaver Stadium, Penn State Nittany Lions (106,572)
3. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State Buckeyes (102,780)
4. Kyle Field, Texas A&M Aggies (102,733)
5. Tiger Stadium, LSU Tigers (102,321)
6. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee Volunteers (101,915)
7. Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas Longhorns (100,119)
8. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama Crimson Tide (100,077)
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 10 Biggest NFL Stadiums.
