The Five Biggest Stadiums in the NFL

The golden age of NFL stadiums like the Los Angeles Coliseum and Cowboys Stadium has begun shifting, with seven new stadiums built since 2009 alone and plans for at least two more. Beautiful stadiums like U.S. Bank Stadium and SoFi Stadium are state-of-the-art facilities that have changed the sports complex landscape. Among the newest stadiums in the league, only two are in the top 10 for maximum fan capacity. Capacity is no longer as crucial, with some of the oldest stadiums in the league being the biggest. Today, we’ll look at some of the biggest NFL stadiums in the league, several of which represent the loudest facilities in the sport.

1. MetLife Stadium — Capacity: 82,500

The most recently built field on this list, MetLife, is also arguably the worst. Playing host to New York’s Giants and Jets, NFL betting lines have rarely favored the home team at MetLife. However, the bigger story surrounding the 14-year-old facility is its propensity for injuries. NFL players have complained about the turf at MetLife field since it opened, with dozens of notable knee and Achilles injuries occurring on the field. Of course, injuries like this happen on every field, but players have vocally criticized MetLife’s turf as a potential cause.

Nevertheless, this open-air, multi-purpose stadium in the Meadowlands replaced Giants Stadium and cost $1.6 billion to build — the most expensive stadium built in the United States at that time. It was also the only stadium in the league to be shared by two NFL teams before SoFi Stadium became the home to the Rams and Chargers in 2020. MetLife Stadium’s biggest claim to fame is hosting the only cold-weather Super Bowl to date when the Seahawks dominated the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

2. Lambeau Field — Capacity: 81,441

The second-oldest stadium on this list, Lambeau Field has hosted the Green Bay Packers since 1957 and may be the most iconic field in all of American sports, let alone the NFL. Lambeau is one of just three stadiums in the NFL that can hold at least 80,000 fans and has seen several historic games. It hosted three NFL title games between 1961 and 1967, including the infamous 1967 Ice Bowl. It has also hosted three NFC Championships between 1996 and 2020. However, Lambeau also experienced prolonged playoff droughts, including just one postseason game between 1967 and 1994.

3. AT&T Stadium — Capacity: 80,000

One of the most expensive venues ever built in the United States, AT&T plays host to the Dallas Cowboys and includes a state-of-the-art video board. The stadium was the first of the most modern NFL stadiums, with many of the stadiums that followed shared characteristics with AT&T Stadium. Some of these characteristics include retractable roofs and beautiful LED displays.

Since it was built, the stadium hosted the Cowboys’ first playoff win since 1996 but has been more known for its dramatic playoff losses. These include a 34–31 loss to the Packers that saw the Cowboys overcome a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit only to fall to Green Bay on a last-second field goal. Along with that defeat, the stadium witnessed Dak Prescott’s dramatic game-ending quarterback draw that ended the Cowboys’ 2021 season and a shocking 48–32 loss to the underdog Packers in the 2024 Wild Card round.

4. GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — Capacity: 76,416

One of the oldest stadiums on our list — Arrowhead Stadium — remains one of the biggest facilities in the sport. Built in 1972, along with Kauffman Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals), Arrowhead has been long known as one of the loudest stadiums in football. And before Patrick Mahomes, it was also the home of many postseason nightmares for Kansas City Chiefs fans. Between 1994 and 2017, Arrowhead Stadium hosted six playoff games. The Chiefs lost all six, including a game where their kicker missed three field goals, a game where they didn’t punt a single time, and a game where they scored two touchdowns and their opponent scored zero touchdowns.

Since Mahomes, though, the stadium has seen new life. The Chiefs are 10–1 at Arrowhead in the post-season after winning twice in the playoffs between 1970 and 2017. They also hosted a record five consecutive AFC Championship games — a streak snapped in 2024. It also holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium at 137.5 decibels.

5. Empower Field at Mile High — Capacity: 76,125

 

Like its AFC West rival Arrowhead Stadium, Empower Field has a reputation as one of the most challenging places to play due to its crowd noise. Built in 2001 and nicknamed “Mile High,” it is also a terror for opponents forced to adjust to the unique altitude of playing in Denver, Colorado. Mile High has hosted three AFC Championship games. The Broncos are 2–1 in those games.

What Stadiums Missed the List?

Many notable stadiums are not included on this list, including the Caesars Superdome — the biggest dome in the league — and SoFi Stadium, the newest stadium to join the ranks. While two new stadiums are coming in Buffalo and Tennessee, neither is projected to crack the top five in maximum capacity. However, given the rush of new stadiums, future projects could see this list change.