The 5 Oldest Stadiums in the NFL

When it comes to the NFL, there’s nothing quite like the excitement of a live game. For many fans, that excitement is amplified by the historical significance of their favorite team’s stadium. Specifically, the oldest NFL stadiums have a special charm, offering a glimpse into the sport’s past while still providing a thrilling game day experience. It feels like every year at least one NFL team announces plans to build a newer, shinier facility. But newer doesn’t always mean better, especially when it comes to preserving the game’s deepest traditions and storied past.

From the first professional football stadium to the iconic venues of today, these stadiums have stood the test of time and continue to be cherished by fans across the country. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five oldest stadiums in the NFL.

1924: Soldier Field – Home of the Chicago Bears

Built in 1924, Soldier Field originally showcased a wide variety of Chicago events — routinely hosting crowds of over 100,000 for heavyweight boxing matches, concerts, presidential addresses and football games for the University of Notre Dame. The Chicago Bears arrived in 1971, reconfiguring the seating and renovating the field into a full-time football stadium and the venue now stands as the oldest facility in the NFL. The field has gone through a number of upgrades to keep up with the times over the years— including a total retrofitting of its interior in 2003 — however, its original neoclassical columns continue to stand as iconic pillars at its East and West entrances. Step inside Soldier Field and learn more about this historic stadium.

1957: Lambeau Field – Home of the Green Bay Packers

Opened in 1957, Lambeau Field holds the title as the oldest stadium originally constructed for the NFL. The “Frozen Tundra” got its nickname from the infamous 1967 NFL Championship between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, where the game-time temperature reached −15 °F. The stadium is also the home of the iconic “Lambeau Leap,” a touchdown celebration invented in 1993 when Packers safety LeRoy Butler scored on a fumble recovery and jumped into the stands. Step inside Lambeau Field and learn more about this time-honored stadium.

1972: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium – Home of the Kansas City Chiefs

Finished in 1972, when many NFL franchises operated out of multi-purpose facilities, Arrowhead Stadium was among the first venues built primarily for football. Its design with unobstructed sightlines was considered innovative for the times and the curved construction of its seating bowl substantially amplified crowd noise. At first, this was considered a problem — the team was even threatened with game penalties when the crowd cheered too loud — but the Kansas City Chiefs went on to embrace the stadium’s intimidation factor and Arrowhead now holds the world record for loudest stadium cheer at 142.2 decibels. Step inside Arrowhead Stadium and learn more about this vintage stadium.

1973: Highmark Stadium – Home of the Buffalo Bills

Formerly known as Ralph Wilson Stadium and New Era Field, Highmark Stadium has proudly hosted the Buffalo Bills since 1973. The stadium, aka “The Ralph,” has seen over 45 years of Buffalo football, including an incredible streak of consecutive home playoff wins that spanned from 1990 to 1995. More recently, the historic field was the site of the “Snow Bowl” – a 2017 regular season game against the Indianapolis Colts played during a blizzard that dumped over 16 inches of snow on the field.

1975: Caesars Superdome – Home of the New Orleans Saints

The iconic Superdome once held the record for the largest fixed dome structure in the world — spanning a diameter of 680 ft. and with a roof that covers 9.7 acres. It’s been the home of the New Orleans Saints since 1975 and has hosted 7 Super Bowls, more than any other single stadium in the NFL. Beyond football, the stadium also served as a crucial refuge during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, protecting approximately 30,000 evacuees who could not leave New Orleans during the storm.

List of All 30 NFL Stadiums