NFL writers at The Athletic have revealed their latest rankings for every stadium, going in order from first to worst.
The Athletic asked 30 of its writers to choose the five best and five worst of the 30 NFL venues. Lists like this are always fun, because they’re sure to cause plenty of debate among NFL prognosticators and, of course, the fans.
Interestingly, The Athletic staff noted that it wasn’t even a contest for the No. 1 spot, which went to the Minnesota Vikings’ home venue of U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened its doors seven years ago:
“This wasn’t even close. Half of the voters placed it No. 1 in their rankings. It also topped our list three years ago. Although it’s an indoor venue, half of the roof is transparent and the wall behind the end zone facing downtown Minneapolis is glass, allowing in a considerable amount of natural light. It opened in 2016, making it one of the league’s newest stadiums. It also helps that the Vikings do an excellent job with their pregame and in-game presentation.”
The rest of the top 10 consisted (in order from 2 to 10) consisted of: SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers), Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers), AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys), Lumen Field (Seattle Seahawks), GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders), Empower Field at Mile High (Denver Broncos) and Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh Steelers).
As you probably predicted, the Washington Commanders’ home venue of FedExField — long viewed as the worst NFL stadium — took the last spot. Here’s what Washington reporter Ben Standig said on the venue:
“The basic amenities are outdated for this 21st-century world. With the locals choosing to stay away in recent years amid the losing/non-contending and ownership embarrassment, cheers from hordes of visiting fans often dominate the atmosphere. Of course, they’ll be trapped in brutal traffic on the way out. Suckers. And, yes, the rails break, pipes burst and parking ain’t cheap. At least everyone knows a new stadium is a must. Hold your nose for the next five to eight years in the interim, and hope that winning games becomes the best distraction.”
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SoFi Stadium and Allegiant Stadium are the youngest NFL venues, having both opened in 2020. Since 2008 alone, eight new stadiums have opened. The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans are set to have new stadiums, with both expected to be ready by 2026.
