The Biggest Sports Stadiums in the US

In a few months, the football season will begin to the joy of millions of fans. While the NFL accounts for the most views television-wise, nothing comes close to the diehard love and fanaticism around college football. It's no surprise then, that college football stadiums stand as some of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S.

With capacities of over 100,000 people, these sports stadiums function almost like temporary cities that pop up nearly every weekend. Though soccer stadiums in other countries host even more people per game, some college football stadiums around the U.S. give them a run for their money. Much like their European counterparts, the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. also feature true fanaticism, resulting in environments both awe-inspiring and overwhelming. In this article, we will explore the 15 biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. (If you're a college football fan, here is the top Division 1 football player from every state.)

To compile a list of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S., 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of sports, history, and news publications, including Fox Sports, Top End Sports, and Newsweek. From there, we selected the top-ranked stadiums in the country with capacities exceeding at least 80,000 people. After that, we confirmed aspects of each stadium using sites like mgoblue.com (University of Michigan) and VisitNJ.com.

Here are the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S.

As the biggest sports stadium in the U.S., Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," has brought in an excess of 100,000 people for every home game since Nov. 8, 1975. Home to the Wolverines, the University of Michigan football team, Michigan Stadium sits in the heart of Ann Arbor. Though its official capacity stands at 107,601, it has held crowds of over 110,000 on multiple occasions.

Construction broke for the stadium on Sept. 12, 1926. A little over a year later, it opened to fans. Originally designed by architect Bernard L. Green, the stadium underwent an overhaul in 2010 thanks to infrastructure design firm HNTB. Remarkably, Michigan Stadium's construction only cost $13.4 million in today's money. Besides Michigan home games, the stadium hosts hockey and soccer matches. A match between Real Madrid and Manchester United featured an attendance of 109,318, making it the largest soccer game in U.S. history.

It's hard to explain the sheer might and sight of Michigan Stadium. From the outside, it appears like any other sports stadium, nothing too major or overwhelming. Appearances can be deceptive, however. Most of the seating at Michigan Stadium is below the ground level, so only upon entering the venue does one get a sense of its sheer size and scale. While other stadiums come close, nothing beats the size, sound, and gladiator-like intensity of a Michigan home game.

A few states over in University Park, Pennsylvania, sits Beaver Stadium. Built in 1959 for $16.5 million in 2023 dollars, the stadium features a standard capacity of 106,572. Though initially designed by architect Michael Baker Jr., the stadium underwent an expansion in 2010 from HOK Sport, and a current-year remodification from Populous Holdings, Inc. Thanks to various renovations over the years, Beaver Stadium went from an initial 69,000 capacity to the second-largest stadium in the United States.

As the stadium for Pennsylvania State University, it acts as the home field for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Many consider the venue the toughest field in the country for opposing teams. Furthermore, it's known for its raucous student section. Oddly enough, Beaver Stadium became the first stadium featured on Google Street View in 2010. While it features an impressive capacity, the stadium broke its own record during the 2018 game between Penn State and Ohio State with 110,889 fans in attendance.

Nicknamed "The Horseshoe," "The Shoe," and "The House that Harley Built," Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, stands as the third-biggest sports stadium in the U.S. Home to The Ohio State Buckeyes football team, the venue features a capacity of 102,780. However, it broke its record in 2016, when 110,045 people attended an Ohio State-Michigan game.

Workers broke ground on the stadium in 1921 and it opened about 14 months later. Though it fails to reach the No. 1 spot in terms of capacity, the stadium cost $24.4 million in 2023 dollars to build. Ohio State alumnus Howard Dwight Smith designed the massive complex. Over the years, Ohio Stadium has featured Major League Soccer games and OSU track and field competitions, as well as massive concerts from the likes of Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and Metallica. Thanks to its legendary status, the National Register of Historic Places added it to its index in 1974.

In 1904, Texas A&M graduate and professor of horticulture Edwin Jackson Kyle became president of the school's General Athletics Association. He wanted to secure space for an athletic field to promote the school's athletics but the school refused to give him funds. In response, Kyle fenced off a section of the College Station campus given to him for agricultural use. Then, using his own money, he build a rudimentary grandstand and set of wooden bleachers. After the Texas A&M Aggies played an undefeated season in 1919, fans clamored for a permanent stadium. Thus, Kyle Field was born.

The stadium underwent several renovations and expansions over the years, boosting its initial 32,890 capacity to its current capacity of 102,733. Besides breaking the record for the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history thanks to the 110,000-person George Strait concert in June 2024, the stadium maintains several unique features. These include a massive 47-by-163 LED video board, as well as an adjoining cemetery for former Reveille mascot dogs.

Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and home to the Lousiana State University Tigers football team, Tiger Stadium remains one of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. Workers broke ground on the venue in 1924, completing it a year later. Initially, the stadium had a meager 12,000-person capacity. Thanks to multiple renovations and expansions, however, Tiger Stadium grew into the fifth-largest NCAA stadium and the seventh-largest stadium in the world.

Compared to other stadiums on this list, Tiger Stadium contains some interesting features. These include the rare 5-yard increment field markings and classic H-bar goalposts. Over the years, Tiger Stadium has earned a reputation as the loudest stadium in the country. It features a crazy atmosphere and even crazier fans. To quote legendary Alabama head coach Bear Bryant, "Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum."

Before it became one of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S., Neyland Stadium was but a twinkle in the eye of Col. W.S. Shields, a University of Tennessee trustee and president of Knoxville's City National Bank. With the means to make it happen, however, Shields put up the initial capital. Construction on the first part of the stadium finished in March 1921, but Shields ran out of funds. In response, a group of students and faculty teamed up and finished the remainder of the construction. As the stadium grew, the school renamed it Neyland Stadium after Gen. Robert Neyland, a former athletic director and coach.

The capacity of Neyland Stadium waxes and wanes depending on the year. While it officially holds 101,915 people, at one point it could hold 104,079. Its largest attendance, however, occurred during a Florida-Tennessee match in 2004 when the stadium welcomed 109,061 attendees. Besides football games, Neyland has hosted a variety of different events. These include concerts, political rallies, and even religious gatherings. (For more Tennessee-centric sports info, discover the most popular sports teams in Tennessee.)

Back in the day, the University of Texas at Austin football team played on a primitive, wooden bleacher field. In 1923, however, former athletics director L. Theo Bellmont and dozens of students presented the idea of a permanent, concrete stadium for the school. Costing $4.89 million in 2023 dollars, the stadium was built in seven months before opening in November 1924. To mark the occasion, the student body dedicated the stadium to all Texans who fought in World War I. The school sealed this legacy in 1943 when it named the field the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium after legendary coach and veteran Darrell K Royal.

Nowadays, the stadium features an official capacity of 100,119. This record was broken in 2022 when a game between Texas and the University of Alabama Crimson Tide brought out a whopping 105,213 spectators. While it features top-of-the-line amenities for players and attendees, Texas Memorial Stadium also developed a reputation for home-field advantage. Over the years, the UT record at home stands at an incredible 399-122.

Though it holds slightly fewer people than the University of Texas stadium, the Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, remains one of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. When Bryant-Denny Stadium opened in 1929, it could hold around 12,000 people. Thanks to multiple expansions in the following years, the venue holds 100,077. Though it first took its name after former school president George H. Denny, the state legislature added legendary coach Bear Bryant to the title in 1975.

Over the years, Bryant-Denny became something of a pilgrimage site in the quasi-religious movement of college football. Home to a legendary team and a legion of hysterical Roll Tide fans, Bryant-Denny Stadium has played host to many memorable games. These include a 1994 standoff between Georgia and Alabama, as well as Alabama's 36-0 shutout victory over Auburn in 2008. Even more so than the UT stadium, Bryant-Denny features an incredible home-field advantage. Since opening, Alabama has held a remarkable .827 winning average when playing on its home turf.

After arriving at the University of Georgia in 1903, Dr. Steadman Vincent Sanford envisioned a great sports stadium. Once he became the school's president and chancellor, he vowed to build a bigger stadium than nearby rival Georgia Tech. To fund the venue's development, Sanford gave lifetime seats to any member of the athletic association willing to sign bank notes guaranteeing loans for its construction. This proved to be an overwhelming success, and Sanford Stadium opened on Oct. 12, 1929.

Though it initially held 30,000 people, several expansions over the years put its official current capacity at 92,746. Sanford Stadium has hosted several notable games and events. Besides the "Half a Hundred between the Hedges Game," which saw the Bulldogs defeat the rival Florida Gators, the stadium also featured events for the 1996 Summer Olympics. A unique feature of Sanford Stadium is its foliage in the form of a privet hedge that encompasses the field. Many consider it to be "one of the best, loudest, and most intimidating atmospheres in college football."

While the Rose Bowl fails to reach the numbers of other stadiums on this list, it remains one of the biggest stadiums in the U.S. and probably the most well-known. That's because it's home to the annual Rose Bowl Game. Designed by architect Myron Hunt, the Rose Bowl cost $4.95 million in 2023 dollars to build. It opened on Oct. 28, 1922. Since then, it has hosted every Rose Bowl game as well as several other events. These include large concerts, religious gatherings, and the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics.

Over the years, the Rose Bowl broke its capacity records multiple times. The 1973 Rose Bowl featured an attendance of 106,869. Plus, Super Bowl XIV between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams made a post-season record with an attendance of 103,985. While it has an impressive history, the Rose Bowl offers some unique, if inconvenient features. Besides an adjoining golf course, the single-lane residential street access to the stadium caused massive parking issues until changes were made in 2016.

Construction started on the Cotton Bowl in 1930, the same year it opened. Designed by architect Mark Lemmon, the stadium cost $5.99 million in 2023 dollars to build. It initially featured a capacity of 45,507. Over the years, various renovations grew its capacity to 92,100. During that time, it changed names from Fair Park Stadium to the Cotton Bowl. Situated in Dallas, the Cotton Bowl is best known for hosting the annual college football postseason game, the Cotton Bowl Classic. It has acted as the home base for a variety of football teams during its history including the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Dallas Texans.

In the 1940s, fans took to calling the stadium "The House That Doak Built" due to SMU running back Dock Walker drawing massive crowds to the venue. Besides hosting an assortment of football games, hockey games, and concerts, the Cotton Bowl shows up in many pieces of media. It's featured in films like "Semi-Tough," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2," and the finale of the television series "Friday Night Lights."

When it first opened in 1930, it featured a 22,000-seat capacity and the name Florida Field. Thanks to several renovations and expansions, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium became one of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. Situated in Gainesville, Florida, and home to the Florida Gators football team, the stadium now features a capacity of 88,548. Nevertheless, this record was broken on Nov. 28, 2015, when a game between the Gators and rival Florida State brought 90,916 people to the stands.

Affectionally called "The Swamp," Ben Hill Griffin Stadium features a variety of fan traditions and activities. These include performances from the oldest marching band in Florida, the "Pride of the Sunshine," and large sing-alongs among the crowd during breaks in games. At one point in the 1970s, the stadium even featured a live alligator in a cage as its mascot. Like other college football stadiums, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is considered one of the hardest fields for visiting teams. Plus, the unique layout and location of the stadium create a vortex of sound. At various points, sound levels on the field measure 115 decibels, just short of the pain threshold.

Situated in Auburn, Alabama, and home to the Auburn Tigers football team, Jordan-Hare Stadium is one of the biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. Upon opening on Nov. 9, 1939, the venue featured a paltry capacity of 7,500. A whopping 14 expansions over the years have boosted its capacity to 88,043. The venue takes its name from Cliff Hare, former president of the Southern Conference, and Ralph "Shug" Jordan, a former Auburn coach with the most wins in school history.

Like other stadiums for teams with diehard fans, the Jordan-Hare Stadium has a reputation for both an impressive atmosphere and an intimidating environment for visiting teams. Besides football games, the venue has hosted rallies, religious gatherings, and large-scale concerts.

Construction began on one of the biggest sports stadiums in Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 23, 1923. Though the University of Nebraska initially conceived the stadium as a combined gymnasium, stadium, and war museum complex, they eventually adjusted expectations and sought a football stadium instead. After meeting the initial target fund of $450,000, the school hired architects John Latenser Sr. and Ellery Davis to design the stadium as they were willing to work pro bono.

Construction remarkably saw completion within 90 days. Within the same year, Memorial Stadium opened to a throng of fans. At that time, it featured a 31,000 capacity. Various renovations have boosted its capacity to 90,000.

Home to the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, the stadium is often called "The Sea of Red" due to its diehard fans emblazoned in the school's colors. A boon for players and administrators, Memorial Stadium gave the Nebraska team several home-game winning streaks and regularly outsells its capacity well past 90,000 attendees.

The final stadium on this list, Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is one of the few biggest sports stadiums in the U.S. to host professional football. Previously, the New York Giants played in Giants Stadium. After 30 years there, however, it became one of the oldest stadiums in football. Metlife Stadium originated as a potential 85,000-capacity venue within New York's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. This failed to materialize, so the project downsized to become a 75,000-capacity stadium.

Though the project saw a delay due to a lack of public funding and protests from nearby Madison Square Garden, it eventually came to fruition as a shared stadium between the Giants and the Jets. Built between 2008-2010 for $2.24 billion, Metlife Stadium still hosts the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Besides being one of the only two NFL stadiums shared by two teams, Metlife Stadium is scheduled to host the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Though it features an official capacity of 82,500, it broke this record in 2012 when 93,000 people attended a Jewish Siyum HaShas ceremony. As one of the newer large stadiums in the country, Metlife was designed with sustainability in mind. As such, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named it the "Greenest Stadium" in the NFL in 2009. (For post-game libations, discover the best sports bars in America.)