NFL stadiums are a huge part of our Thursday, Sunday, and Monday nights. They bring a lot of excitement, and there is no secret that even people who don’t follow football are amazed by their appearance and capacity. From Super Bowl halftime shows to giant parking lots, stadiums cost a lot of money.
Since the Las Vegas Raiders re-constructed their stadium, there has been a lot of talk about the stadiums, and many teams are unsatisfied with their current field. The Bears are very unhappy about their current situation in Chicago at the moment, and they have signed a purchase agreement for a huge new piece of land.
On the other side, the Bills owners have been planning to move from Buffalo to Texas for a long time.
But what are the most expensive NFL stadiums? Are we talking hundreds, millions, or even billions of dollars?
Keep reading to learn about the finest and most expensive NFL stadiums.
Most Expensive NFL Stadiums
The sports industry is quite lucrative and is one of the best forms of entertainment. With an approximate estimation that it is worth more than $500 billion, there’s no surprise that there is a lot of investment done by the owners of the teams. From players and marketing to building a giant stadium that can fit more than 80,000 people.
Sometimes it feels like the NFL spares no expense and goes out of its way to make the fans happy. Without further ado, here are the most expensive NFL stadiums.
- SoFi Stadium – Around $5 billion (Home of the Los Angeles Rams & Chargers)
- Allegiant Stadium – Around $2 billion (Home of the Las Vegas Raiders)
- MetLife Stadium – Around $1.7 billion (Home of the New York Jets & Giants)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Around $1.5 billion (Home of the Atlanta Falcons)
- AT&T Stadium – Around $1.4 billion (Home of the Dallas Cowboys)
Let’s dive a bit deeper into each arena and talk about construction expenses.
SoFi Stadium – Around $4.9 billion
Home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, the SoFi stadium is the most expensive stadium ever built. With a construction cost of around $5 billion, the arena hosted the 2020 Super Bowl and is scheduled to host the 2028 Olympic Games.
Before the SoFi arena, the most expensive stadium was the MetLife Stadium which is also the home of two teams, the Jets and Giants. Now, it’s the second most expensive arena ever built, costing around $2 billion.
The owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Stan Kroenke, has built one of the greatest sports complexes in the world. He also owns the basketball team Denver Nuggets and the football club Arsenal.
The SoFi Stadium has about 70,000 seats indoors and outdoors. A cherry on top of the cake around the facility is Hollywood Park, a 300-acre complex where people can have fun.
Hollywood Park is not done yet. When the construction is finished, the complex will have:
- NFL headquarters
- A hotel and more than 2,500 apartments
- A community park spread out over 25 acres
- Lake
- Public plaza
- Concert space with more than 6,000 seats
- 2,000,000 square feet for offices and restaurants
Highlights
| Construction cost | Around $5 billion |
| Home team | Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers |
| Opening year | September 8, 2020 |
| Capacity | 70,240 expands to 100,240 |
| Location | SoFi Stadium |
Allegiant Stadium – Around $2 billion
The Oakland Raiders had some trouble with their arena for quite some time. The Raiders are not strangers to moving and have done it quite a few times in the past. Derek Carr did a victory lap in Oakland for their final game there, and the Raiders finally made their wish come true.
The poor conditions were no longer acceptable to the team, so they had to relocate. The 51-year-old Coliseum in Oakland paid homage to two sports, football and baseball. The team relocated to Las Vegas in 2020 in a new stadium with around $2 billion in construction costs.
The money came from combined resources:
- $1.15 billion from private financing
- $750 million from public financing
Allegiant Stadium has the best field-level seats in the entire National Football League. In the stadium, there is also a torch that is 93 feet tall. The torch is in honor of Al Davis, the owner of the Raiders.
The arena has more than 6,000 club seats and 65,000 seats for the audience. The seating capacity expands to 71,835, and the stadium can also be used for soccer. The Allegiant Stadium is also the football team’s home at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Highlights
| Construction cost | Around $2 billion – private and public financing |
| Home team | Las Vegas Raiders and the University of Nevada |
| Opening year | July 31, 2020 |
| Capacity | 65,000 expands to 71,835 |
| Location | Allegiant Stadium |
MetLife Stadium – Around $1.7 billion
The MetLife Stadium has a rich history and is filled with some incredible moments. Located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, this field is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets. The MetLife Stadium is an-82,500-complex and is the largest arena in the entire NFL.
The stadium was constructed in 2010 as a replacement for the Giants Stadium. The natural backdrop which the stadium was created with allows the arena to completely transform overnight and turn into the home field of the team that is playing the next day. This is not just a regular occurrence for professional teams but also for college games.
The MetLife Stadium is constructed with many purposes in mind. Over the years, the stadium hosted some of the world’s largest events. Many music stars like Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, U2, and Bruce Springsteen have performed a concert on the field.
According to Billboard Magazine, MetLife is the highest-grossing stadium in the world for events besides the NFL.
Over the last 25 years, MetLife has earned more than $20 million for annual sponsorship payments. For that reason, the entire construction in 2010 was done with private financing.
Highlights
| Construction cost | Around $1.7 billion – private financing |
| Home team | New York Jets and New York Giants |
| Opening year | April 10, 2010 |
| Capacity | 82,500 |
| Location | MetLife Stadium |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Around $1.5 billion
This stadium is the home of the Atlanta Falcons and was built in 2017 as a replacement for the legendary Georgia Dome. In this stadium, the Falcons had to come back to be consoled by their fans after being victims of Tom Brady’s greatest comeback in Super Bowl LI. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium is quite an improvement compared to the previous arena of the Falcons.
The construction cost for Georgia Dome was $214 million, while for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium $1.5 billion. The new arena of the Falcons needed private and public funding, but eventually, it was all worth it. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is 2,000,000 square feet, has 7,6000 club seats, 71,000 seats for the audience, and 21,000 parking spaces.
Five years have passed since the arena was built, but NFL fans still admire the stadium’s uniqueness. Mercedes-Benz Stadium has hosted some of the most attended MLS games of all time and has a great reputation amongst sports fans.
On top of that, the stadium holds the record for the number of food and drinks transactions at a sporting event which is 120,357.
Highlights
| Construction cost | Around $1.5 billion – private and public financing |
| Home team | Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United (MLS) |
| Opening year | August 26, 2017 |
| Capacity | 71,000 expands to 75,000 |
| Location | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
AT&T Stadium – Around $1.4 billion
Lastly, we have the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the team with the most fans, according to social media. The AT&T Stadium is a landmark in Texas. Even tourists who don’t know who the Cowboys are and their history still like to visit the arena.
When it was opened in 2009, the AT&T stadium immediately became the nicest venue in the league. The giant blue star is recognizable even from the sky. There are a lot of amazing and fun facts about this stadium. For starters, there is a retractable roof that is 660,800 square feet which, on game day, only takes 12 minutes to open.
Also, the seating capacity of the AT&T stadium is 80,000, but that can be expanded to more than 120,000. We all know about Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and what he can do, but the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones took the cake on this one and managed to construct one of the most extraordinary stadiums in recent years.
The AT&T stadium came to be by getting funding from the city and the NFL. The city funded the project with $300 million, and the league offered roughly $150 million. The Cowboys covered the rest, and Jones received all the revenue.
Highlights
| Construction cost | Around $1.4 billion – funding from the city and the NFL |
| Home team | Dallas Cowboys |
| Opening year | May 7, 2009 |
| Capacity | 80,000 expands to more than 120,000 |
| Location | AT&T Stadium |
Other Expensive NFL Stadiums
The NFL has more than 190 million fans globally, and the number increases every single day. Players nowadays don’t just shine on the field, but they are also a part of Hollywood’s scenery. They appear on different talk shows and collaborate with a lot of YouTube stars,
This also plays a role in the league’s popularity; everyone likes to see their team play. With a huge love for the game, fans worldwide like to see the battle for the championship live and soak in the stadium atmosphere. For that reason, the National Football League cherishes and values its stadiums.
After seeing our list of the most expensive NFL stadiums, you know that the leagues’ arenas are getting more technologically advanced. They like to enhance the experience by offering quality seats and allowing the fans to connect with their team. In addition to our top five most expensive NFL stadiums, here are some other arenas with high construction costs.
| Stadium | Construction cost | Home team | Location |
| Levi’s Stadium | Around $1.4 billion | San Francisco 49ers | Levi’s Stadium |
| U.S Bank Stadium | Around $1.2 billion | Minnesota Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium |
| Lucas Oil Stadium | Around $960 million | Indianapolis Colts | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Ford Field | Around $950 million | Detroit Lions | Ford Field |
| Lincoln Financial Field | Around $940 million | Philadelphia Eagles | Lincoln Financial Field |
Summary
The NFL has some of the best teams, players, and stadiums in the world that create a memorable atmosphere. The matches are filled with fearsome competition, and everyone likes to make it to the Super Bowl. But, without a stadium to host, all of it would be for nothing.
In our article, we ranked the most expensive NFL stadiums, when they were made, and how much was the construction cost. As a true fan, visiting your favorite team’s stadium can be a defining and unforgettable moment for you.
James is a big time NBA Golden State follower, who makes sure to catch games when he's in the area. He likes to follow International Soccer, with an interest in small town soccer club, Blackburn Rovers located in the North on the UK.