There are 32 NFL franchises, and they share 30 stadiums across the United States (four teams share two stadiums). All but four of them have naming rights, including all the ones on this list, which are recognizable by the corporation that optioned their name at the time of the stadium’s construction.
No stadium is cheap, but some of the NFL stadiums cost billions to build! Here is our list of the most expensive NFL stadiums in the United States.
- Lucas Oil Stadium
- U.S. Bank Stadium
- Levi’s Stadium
- AT&T Stadium
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- MetLife Stadium
- Allegiant Stadium
- SoFi Stadium
Capacity: 67,000 (+3,000)
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Opened: 2008
Team: Indianapolis Colts
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The oldest stadium on this list is the Lucas Oil Stadium, commonly called “The Luke,” completed in 2008. It cost $720 million to build, which should clue you into how expensive this list is going to get. The architecture was handled by HKS, Inc., with a 67,000-person capacity, expandable to 70,000.
The stadium replaced the RCA Dome and served as part of the expansion project for the Indiana Convention Center. It is the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
Did you know?
In addition to football games, the Lucas Oil Stadium is the home of the championships for Drum Corps International or DCI, which is the most hardcore marching band circuit in the world.
Capacity: 73,000
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Opened: 2016
Team: Minnesota Vikings
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The U.S. Bank Stadium used to be the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Unlike some stadiums on this list, the U.S. Bank Stadium is an indoor-only stadium. It opened in 2016 and serves as the home of the Minnesota Vikings (they used to play at the Metrodome until it became this stadium).
The U.S. Bank Stadium cost $1.061 billion to build, including $348 million in state contributions and over $550 million from private contributors. Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, completed in 2002, was the last stadium built with a fixed roof in the NFL before the U.S. Bank Stadium.
Did you know?
The U.S. Bank Stadium hosted the ESPN X Games (2018), the NCAA Final Four (2019), and Super Bowl LII (2018).
Capacity: 68,500
Location: Santa Clara, California
Opened: 2014
Team: San Francisco 49ers
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Levi’s Stadium is in Santa Clara, California. The San Francisco 49ers NFL team has called Levi’s their homefield since it was completed in 2014. It cost $1.3 billion to build and seats 68,500, though it was expanded with standing only areas for WrestleMania 31 in 2015, which housed nearly 77,000 people.
Additionally, Levi’s Stadium housed Super Bowl 50 in 2015, the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2015, and the Pac-12 Football Championship Games from 2014 to 2019.
Did you know?
The stadium’s architecture and sightlines have been received well since the stadium was finished. However, the inside has a colder atmosphere than many spectators are used to, only inflamed by some of the most expensive tickets in the entire league. Additionally, the stadium was built in the direct flight path of a runway at San Jose International Airport, which has caused dozens of pilots to log complaints about being blinded by the stadium’s lights.
Capacity: 80,000 (+20,000)
Location: Arlington, Texas
Opened: 2009
Team: Dallas Cowboys
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The AT&T Stadium was founded as the Cowboys Stadium when it opened in 2009 but was renamed in 2013. It should come as no surprise that it’s the home of the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the home field of the Big 12 Championship Game and the Cotton Bowl Classic. The stadium also houses soccer, basketball, college, and motocross events. It even has a professional wrestling match and a concert every now and then.
The stadium, which is located in Arlington, Texas, cost $1.48 billion to build. It houses 80,000 people by default but can go up to 100,000 for bigger games, giving it one of the highest seat capacities in the NFL.
Did you know?
The AT&T Stadium is colloquially called “Jerry World” because of Jerry Jones, the current owner of the Dallas Cowboys. The stadium is partly rebuilt from the old Texas Stadium, which was the Dallas Cowboys’ older home field, which they used from 1971 to 2008. This stadium also features one of the largest HD video screens in the world (top 32).
Capacity: 71,000 (+4,000)
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Opened: 2017
Team: Atlanta Falcons
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia can hold 71,000 spectators but can be expanded to 75,000 for even larger events. The stadium is most famous for its pinwheel retractable roof, which comes off in panels that are like huge translucent triangles that move along a rail.
The stadium opened in 2017, costing $1.6 billion to build. It is the home of the Atlanta Falcons NFL team as well as the Atlanta United FC, a Major League Soccer team. When converted to a soccer stadium, Mercedes-Benz can hold 42,500 spectators but can be expanded with standing room sections.
Did you know?
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is designed for functionality, with two huge locker rooms to house college-sized football teams, as well as that signature retracting roof. The seats are connected to the field via staircases – another unique feature. However, in both its exterior and interior design, this stadium has infused a ton of contemporary art to create a signature feel that goes beyond function. Among the 180 featured works is The Atlanta Falcon, a bird sculpture made of stainless steel sculpted by Gábor Miklós Szőke.
Capacity: 82,500
Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Opened: 2010
Team: New York Jets, New York Giants
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Meadowlands Sports Complex houses the well-used MetLife Stadium. Since opening in 2010, this stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey has hosted many huge events, including Super Bowl XLVIII. This marked the first time that a Super Bowl game was played in the New York metro area, as well as the first played in a stadium without a dome in a cold-weather city.
Its capacity is technically 82,500, but it was expanded to hold the nearly 89,000 attendees of U2’s 360 Tour in July 2011. The MetLife Stadium cost $1.7 billion to build, making it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built.
Did you know?
Only two stadiums in the NFL are the home fields of two separate teams, one being MetLife and the other being the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (see below). Both the New York Jets and the New York Giants play their home games at MetLife.
Capacity: 65,000 (+6,835)
Location: Paradise, Nevada
Opened: 2020
Team: Las Vegas Raiders
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The domed stadium sponsored by the Allegiant Travel Agency in Paradise Nevada is nearly the most expensive stadium ever built. It was finished in 2020 and cost $1.9 billion to build. Allegiant Stadium is the home field of the NFL team, the Las Vegas Raiders, as well as the Rebels college team.
This stadium has been scheduled to host the 2024 Super Bowl (LVIII). Unlike some of the stadiums on this list, Allegiant has a natural Bermuda grass field.
Did you know?
The stadium has room for 65,000 spectators and can be expanded to 71,835 for bigger events. There are 35,000 parking spaces in the vicinity of Allegiant Stadium, with 2,700 onsite.
Capacity: 70,240 (+30,000)
Location: Inglewood, California
Opened: 2020
Team: Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The most expensive NFL stadium is SoFi Stadium. This stadium in the Great Los Angeles area used to be called City of Champions Stadium, Los Angeles Stadium, and Olympic Stadium. This stadium in Inglewood, California holds 70,240 people but can be expanded by 30,000 to 100,240, which it will do if it has to host a major event like the Summer Olympics or the Super Bowl.
The SoFi Stadium cost $5.5 billion to build and opened in 2020, making it one of the most recent stadiums in the NFL. It is the home of both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.
Did you know?
The SoFi Stadium is going to get its ultimate trial run on February 13, 2022 when it hosts Super Bowl LVI. It is also slated to host WrestleMania 39 in 2023 and several events in the 2028 Summer Olympics, including archery and soccer.
The Takeaway
All but one of the stadiums on this list cost more than a billion dollars. On the high end, the SoFi Stadium in California costs over five. The most expensive stadiums back up their expenditure with huge spectator capacities, modern art installations, retractable roofs, parking facilities, field and display technology, player facilities, and more.
Most NFL teams make a huge deal out of their home fields. Since playing on familiar turf (literally) can make or break a Super Bowl, building the biggest, most expensive stadium is a genuine competition among contractors around the country. Since the most expensive stadiums on this list are also the newest, it stands to reason that we’ll be seeing the new most expensive stadium in the NFL pretty soon!
