Who Has The Smallest NFL Stadium

If you have ever watched an NFL game and wondered which stadium packs the fewest seats, you are not alone. Stadium size is a hot topic among football fans, because capacity influences ticket prices, atmosphere, team revenue, and even long-term franchise decisions. In this guide, we will explain which stadium is the smallest in the NFL right now, why it is that size, how it compares to other venues across the league, and what could change in the near future. We will keep the language simple and beginner-friendly so you can quickly understand the big picture without getting lost in jargon.

What Do We Mean by “Smallest NFL Stadium”?

Before naming the smallest, it helps to define what “smallest” means. In stadium talk, “smallest” usually refers to seating capacity, the number of fixed seats available for a regular NFL game. Some venues also sell standing-room-only tickets that push attendance above the listed capacity, but those are not permanent seats and vary by event. For a fair, apples-to-apples comparison, we will use the official seating capacity for NFL games, not maximum attendance or temporary expansions.

Another detail is that a handful of teams have temporarily played in smaller venues during construction or relocation. Those special cases can create ultra-small crowds for a few seasons, but when people ask about the smallest NFL stadium, they typically mean the smallest permanent, full-time home in the league at present.

The Short Answer: The Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field Is the Smallest

As of the 2024–2025 NFL seasons, the smallest stadium in the NFL by seating capacity is Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. Its official capacity is about 61,500 for football. That puts it well below the league’s typical stadium size, which hovers in the high-60,000s to around 70,000 seats for most teams.

Key Facts About Soldier Field

Soldier Field sits on Chicago’s lakefront and is one of the oldest sites in the league. The stadium first opened in 1924 and underwent a major reconstruction in 2002–2003. After that renovation, the capacity settled at roughly 61,500 seats for NFL games, making it the smallest in the league. The design includes modern suites, club spaces, and improved amenities, but the seating bowl itself is compact compared to many other venues.

Despite the relatively small capacity, Soldier Field is famous for its atmosphere. Cold weather, swirling winds off Lake Michigan, and passionate Bears fans create a distinctive game-day experience. Its iconic colonnades and landmark setting make it visually unique, even if it is not the largest in raw numbers.

How It Compares to the Average NFL Stadium

While exact figures shift with renovations, most NFL stadiums seat between about 65,000 and 72,000. Against that backdrop, Soldier Field’s 61,500 is clearly below average. In some years, the difference can be 7,000 to 10,000 fewer seats than a typical venue. In revenue terms, that can matter, especially when demand is high and every additional seat could represent thousands of dollars across a season.

Why Soldier Field Ended Up the Smallest

Stadium capacity is rarely a simple choice. It reflects design priorities, site constraints, local politics, and business goals. Soldier Field’s small capacity is the result of several intertwined factors.

Historic Site and Landmark Constraints

Soldier Field’s location is both a treasure and a constraint. The site is steeped in history and sits in a prized public setting along the lakefront. Local rules, preservation concerns, and community priorities all shaped what could be built during the early-2000s reconstruction. A larger, bulkier stadium might have clashed with the historic colonnades and the surrounding museum campus, so the design favored a more compact footprint.

The 2003 Renovation Reduced Seats

When Soldier Field was overhauled in 2002–2003, the goal was to modernize fan amenities, player facilities, and revenue-generating spaces like suites and clubs. Those additions take up square footage that might otherwise go to general seating. The result was a stadium with better amenities but fewer total seats compared to many peers.

Urban Footprint and Site Logistics

Building on an urban lakefront site is very different from developing on a sprawling suburban parcel. Soldier Field has limited room to expand outward. Vertical expansion has limits too, because of sightlines, wind patterns, and the need to respect the stadium’s exterior character. All of those realities tend to cap the number of seats in a practical design.

Revenue Mix and Premium Spaces

Revenue does not only come from the number of seats. Suites, club seats, and premium lounges can generate outsized income relative to their footprint. Like many modern stadiums, Soldier Field’s renovation prioritized quality and premium inventory over raw capacity. That helped the Bears modernize the experience, even though the building stayed small.

Is “Smallest” a Problem for the Bears?

Being the smallest has pros and cons. It is not automatically good or bad; it depends on what you value most, from fan comfort to noise to long-term finances.

Atmosphere and Home-Field Advantage

Smaller bowls can feel louder because fans are closer to the action and sound bounces in tighter volumes. Soldier Field can get extremely loud, especially in crisp fall and winter air. For players and home fans, that intimacy can be energizing and intimidating for visiting teams.

Ticket Demand, Prices, and Scarcity

Limited supply can drive up prices when the team is winning and the schedule is attractive. If demand is high, the smaller capacity may make tickets harder to get and more expensive. In down years, though, fewer seats can also mean fewer gaps in the crowd, which helps the building still feel full and lively.

Revenue Considerations

On the flip side, fewer seats can cap total ticket revenue compared to teams that can sell 70,000 or more seats per game. Some of this can be offset by premium seating, but Soldier Field is a city-owned venue without a naming-rights sponsor, which removes a revenue lever other stadiums enjoy. This is one reason the Bears have explored options for a new stadium in recent years.

Who Else Is Near the Bottom in Capacity?

Although Soldier Field is the smallest, several stadiums sit in the mid-60,000 range. These venues are not tiny, but they are on the smaller side of the NFL spectrum.

State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals)

State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, seats about 63,400 for Cardinals games. It is a versatile venue with a retractable roof and natural-grass field tray, which can roll outside to get sun and then slide back in for games. Its base capacity is modest, but it can be expanded for marquee events like the Super Bowl.

Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Dolphins)

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens seats around 64,767 after a series of renovations that added shade canopies, modern clubs, and upgraded sightlines. The remodel prioritized comfort and premium experiences, which kept capacity in the mid-60,000s rather than chasing maximum size.

Ford Field (Detroit Lions)

Ford Field, an indoor stadium in downtown Detroit, seats about 65,000. Its compact, urban design fits the surrounding city grid and delivers great sightlines. The building’s intimate bowl has helped the Lions generate an electric atmosphere as the team has surged in recent seasons.

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders)

Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas seats roughly 65,000 for NFL games. While it is one of the newest and flashiest venues in the league, it intentionally did not aim for ultra-high capacity. The Raiders focused on a premium experience, club spaces, and multipurpose event flexibility, keeping regular seating closer to the mid-60,000 range.

Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati Bengals)

Paycor Stadium’s capacity is about 65,515. With Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ recent success, demand has surged, making the mid-60,000s feel tight at times. Like several peers, the Bengals emphasize premium areas and fan amenities over sheer seat count.

Gillette Stadium (New England Patriots)

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is in the mid-65,000s. Recent upgrades improved the north end, added video boards, and refined circulation. Those changes did not dramatically boost raw capacity but enhanced the fan experience, which is a common trend across the league.

U.S. Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings)

U.S. Bank Stadium seats roughly 66,860. It is a striking indoor venue with a translucent roof that lets in natural light. The capacity sits just under 67,000, but noise levels can be immense thanks to the enclosed design and steep seating.

For Contrast: The NFL’s Largest Stadiums

At the other end of the spectrum, a few buildings are massive by NFL standards. Seeing their capacities puts the Bears’ number in perspective.

MetLife Stadium (New York Giants and New York Jets)

MetLife Stadium seats about 82,500, making it the NFL’s largest by regular seating capacity. Sharing a building helps spread costs, and the New York market supports a big bowl with robust demand for both franchises.

Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)

Lambeau Field seats approximately 81,441 and often tops attendance lists thanks to its large bowl and legendary waiting list for season tickets. Green Bay is a smaller market, but the Packers’ unique community ownership structure and tradition support an outsized venue.

AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys)

AT&T Stadium lists about 80,000 seats but can swell past 90,000 or even 100,000 with standing-room areas. The Cowboys have turned game day into a spectacle, using the building’s scale and technology to host massive events beyond NFL Sundays.

The Smallest NFL Venue in Modern Times: A Special Case

While Soldier Field is the smallest permanent NFL home right now, the smallest venue used by an NFL team in the modern era was even tinier. When the Los Angeles Chargers relocated from San Diego and waited for SoFi Stadium to be built, they played their 2017–2019 home games at the StubHub Center (later Dignity Health Sports Park), a soccer stadium with about 27,000 seats.

What That Looked and Felt Like

The Chargers’ temporary home was intimate to an extreme. TV broadcasts showed end zones and sideline angles with stands very close to the field. Crowd noise could be intense in bursts, but the small capacity also meant a limited home-gate potential compared to a normal NFL stadium. Visiting fans often bought significant portions of available seats, which created unusual atmospheres for a pro football game.

Temporary Small Venues Versus Permanent Ones

Situations like the Chargers’ are exceptions. They arise during construction or relocation and last a few seasons at most. When we talk about “the smallest NFL stadium,” we almost always mean the smallest full-time, permanent home at that moment—which remains Soldier Field.

Why Stadium Capacity Changes Over Time

Even if a stadium’s name stays the same, its capacity can shift. Teams renovate, add clubs, widen concourses, replace bleachers with individual seats, and upgrade accessibility. Any of those changes can increase or reduce the number of seats.

Renovations That Trade Seats for Comfort

Many recent projects emphasize comfort and premium experiences. For example, adding wider seats, larger cup holders, and better legroom actually eats into the total seat count. Similarly, new clubs and lounges take up floor space that might otherwise fit several rows of seats. These changes improve satisfaction but can trim capacity by hundreds or even a few thousand over time.

Standing Room and “Expandable” Claims

Teams often advertise that their stadium can expand for big events. That might be true for special games like the Super Bowl or college championships, where temporary seating or standing areas are added. For routine NFL Sundays, though, we use the standard seating capacity, which is why Soldier Field stays the smallest even if other venues can shrink or grow for particular events.

Design Choices That Influence Capacity

Beyond pure numbers, the architectural choices that shape a stadium have big effects on capacity, atmosphere, and comfort. Three factors matter a lot: roof type, premium space mix, and sightlines.

Roof, Weather, and Bowl Shape

Domed and retractable-roof stadiums can concentrate sound and allow steeper, taller seating bowls protected from weather. Open-air venues, especially in cold climates, often balance wind exposure and sunlight with sightlines and safety, which can influence how high or dense seating decks can go.

Suites and Clubs Versus General Seating

Every suite and club seat can generate far more revenue per seat than a standard seat. Teams planning new buildings choose how many suites, loge boxes, and clubs to include, knowing that each premium space can reduce general capacity but increase overall revenue. Modern designs often choose quality and revenue per seat over maximum capacity.

Sightlines, Safety, and Accessibility

Great sightlines require certain rake angles and deck spacing. Today’s codes and accessibility standards also require ramps, elevators, wider concourses, and ADA seating platforms. All of those are vital for a good, safe experience—but they also take space that older stadiums once devoted to more rows of seats.

Market Size Versus Stadium Size

You might assume that teams in big cities have the biggest stadiums, but that is not always true. Several factors break that simple link.

Big Markets With Smaller Stadiums

Chicago is one of the biggest media markets in the country, yet the Bears’ home is the smallest stadium in the league. The reasons are mostly site constraints, design choices, and the particular path of Soldier Field’s renovation. Similarly, some large-market teams prioritize premium inventory and comfort over having 75,000 or more general seats.

Small Markets With Huge Stadiums

Green Bay is a small market with a massive stadium. Lambeau Field’s capacity reflects decades of investment and a unique fan culture, including a famous season-ticket waiting list. This shows that tradition and demand can sustain big venues even without a huge metro area.

Why TV Money Reduces Pressure to Max Out Seats

In the modern NFL, national media rights are a huge portion of team revenue. That means teams do not need to squeeze every possible seat into the building to stay financially healthy. Instead, many focus on creating premium experiences that drive higher per-fan spending, which may keep capacities moderate.

What Could Change Soon

Stadium landscapes evolve every few years. A few projects on the horizon could alter which team plays in the smallest venue.

Bears’ New Stadium Aspirations

The Bears have explored multiple options for a new stadium, including proposals for a domed venue on or near the lakefront and, at times, a plan in the suburb of Arlington Heights. As of now, nothing is complete, and Soldier Field remains the home with the smallest capacity. If a new stadium gets built, it will almost certainly seat more than 61,500, moving the Bears out of the bottom spot.

Buffalo Bills’ New Stadium

The Bills are constructing a new venue in Orchard Park targeted to open in the mid-2020s. Plans indicate a capacity in the low 60,000s, commonly mentioned around 62,000 with potential standing-room boosts for bigger events. If that number holds, Buffalo’s new building could be very close to or even smaller than Soldier Field’s current capacity, potentially claiming the “smallest” label once it opens.

Tennessee Titans’ New Stadium

The Titans are building a new enclosed stadium in Nashville expected to open later this decade. Announced plans have centered around an approximate 60,000-seat capacity. If that number stands, the Titans’ new home would likely become the smallest permanent stadium in the NFL upon opening. That reflects a league-wide trend: designing for premium revenue and event versatility rather than chasing maximum seat count.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Renovation Plans

The Jaguars have advanced a “Stadium of the Future” concept with significant renovations that could temporarily reduce capacity during construction and potentially settle in the low-to-mid 60,000s afterward. Exact figures can change as projects move from concept to construction, but Jacksonville’s plans fit the broader pattern of prioritizing comfort and shade in a hot-weather market over very large capacities.

How to Check the Latest Capacity Numbers

Because capacities can change a little from year to year, it is smart to consult official sources when you need precise numbers.

Where to Look

Team media guides, the official NFL team websites, and the stadiums’ own pages typically list current capacity. Renovation press releases and local news outlets also report updates when seats are added or removed. For marquee events like a Super Bowl, look for “event configuration” numbers rather than the regular-season capacity.

What to Watch For

Keep an eye on whether a number refers to fixed seating, standing-room-only availability, or an “expandable” configuration. For season-to-season comparisons, fixed seating is the most consistent baseline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the smallest NFL stadium right now? The Chicago Bears, with Soldier Field at about 61,500 seats.

Is Soldier Field always the smallest? In recent years, yes. However, new or renovated stadiums for teams like the Bills and Titans may change that in the near future if they open with capacities near or below the low-60,000s.

What is the smallest NFL venue used recently, even if just temporarily? The Los Angeles Chargers played at a roughly 27,000-seat soccer stadium from 2017 to 2019, by far the smallest modern NFL setting, but it was a short-term solution.

Why do some teams prefer smaller stadiums? Premium seating, better amenities, and overall fan comfort can generate strong revenue without maximizing seat count. TV money also reduces the pressure to go as big as possible.

Does a smaller stadium hurt home-field advantage? Not necessarily. Many smaller bowls are very loud and intimate. Design, fans, and conditions matter more than capacity alone.

Tips for Fans Visiting Smaller NFL Stadiums

Arrive early. Smaller stadiums often have packed concourses before kickoff, and arriving early helps you avoid lines and soak in the atmosphere. At Soldier Field, early arrival also lets you enjoy the lakefront setting and the Museum Campus nearby.

Plan your transport. Urban venues like Soldier Field can have tight parking and traffic patterns. Public transit, rideshare, or an early parking plan can make a big difference in your stress level and arrival time.

Dress for conditions. Open-air stadiums on the Great Lakes can get bitterly cold and windy. Layer up, bring hand warmers, and be ready for changing weather off the lake.

Explore premium and club offerings. If your budget allows, smaller venues sometimes offer excellent premium experiences where proximity to the field and amenities feel especially elevated.

What “Smallest Stadium” Tells Us About the NFL’s Future

That the smallest stadium in the NFL belongs to a major-market franchise says a lot about where the league is headed. Instead of prioritizing maximum seat counts, franchises increasingly focus on:

Balanced capacities that keep demand high while ensuring strong per-seat revenue.

Premium seating products, including suites, loge boxes, and field-level clubs, that contribute outsized revenue.

Flexible designs that work for concerts, college games, and global events, not just NFL Sundays.

Fan comfort upgrades—shade canopies, wider seats, better legroom, massive video boards—that can reduce overall capacity but enhance the experience.

Conclusion

If you are looking for the smallest NFL stadium today, the answer is clear: Soldier Field in Chicago, with about 61,500 seats, has the lowest seating capacity in the league as of the 2024–2025 seasons. That size reflects a mix of historic site constraints, urban design realities, and a modern emphasis on premium experiences over raw seat count. It has not stopped Soldier Field from delivering memorable atmospheres or the Bears from drawing passionate crowds, but it does limit ticket supply and long-term revenue compared to larger venues.

Looking ahead, the league’s next wave of stadiums may bring even smaller official capacities, often in the low 60,000s, as teams chase comfort, premium inventory, and multi-event versatility. The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans are the most notable examples on the horizon, and their projects could redefine which team owns the “smallest stadium” label once those buildings open.

For now, though, the title belongs to the Chicago Bears. If you ever find yourself at Soldier Field on a frigid Sunday with the wind off Lake Michigan, you will learn firsthand that small can still feel mighty—especially when the game is close and the crowd is roaring.