"Orlando Citrus Bowl" | |
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 The stadium preparing for an Orlando City SC match, March 2015 | |
  Camping World Stadium Location in Florida Show map of Florida Camping World Stadium Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Former names | Orlando Stadium (1936–1946, 1977–1982) Tangerine Bowl (1947–1975) Citrus Bowl (1976) Florida Citrus Bowl (1983–2013) Orlando Citrus Bowl (2014–2016) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Citrus Bowl Place |
| Location | Orlando,Florida,United States |
| Coordinates | 28°32′20″N81°24′10″W / 28.53889°N 81.40278°W /28.53889; -81.40278 |
| Public transit |   20, 21, 36 |
| Owner | City of Orlando |
| Operator | Orlando Venues |
| Capacity | Football: 60,219 (2014–present) (expandable to 65,194) Soccer: 19,500 (expandable to 60,219) |
| Record attendance | WrestleMania 33: 75,245 (April 2, 2017) |
| Field size | 120 yds × 53.3 yds (football) 114 yds × 74 yds (soccer) |
| Surface | AstroTurf RootZone 3D3 (2016–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | Early 1936 |
| Opened | Late 1936 |
| Renovated | 1999–2002, 2014, 2021 |
| Expanded | 1952, 1968, 1974–76, 1989, 1999–2002 |
| Construction cost | 1936: US$115,000 ($2.61 million in 2024 dollars[1]) 1989 renovation: US$38 million ($96.4 million in 2024 dollars[1]) 2014 renovation: US$207 million |
| Tenants | |
| Citrus Bowl (NCAA) 1947–present Orlando Broncos (SFL) 1962–1963 Orlando Panthers (COFL) 1966–1970 Florida Blazers (WFL) 1974 UCF Knights (NCAA) 1979–2006 Orlando Americans (AFA) 1981 Orlando Renegades (USFL) 1985 Orlando Thunder (WLAF) 1991–1992 Orlando Sundogs (USL 1) 1997 Pop-Tarts Bowl (NCAA) 2001–present Orlando Rage (XFL) 2001 Florida Tuskers (UFL) 2009–2010 Orlando Fantasy (LFL) 2011–2012 Orlando City SC (USL Pro/MLS) 2011–2013; 2015–2016 Cure Bowl (NCAA) 2015–2018; 2020; 2024–present Orlando Pride (NWSL) 2016 Orlando Guardians (XFL) 2023 | |
| Website | |
| campingworldstadium.com | |
Camping World Stadium is an outdoor stadium inOrlando,Florida,United States located in the West Lakes neighborhood ofDowntown Orlando, west of new sports and entertainment facilities including theKia Center, theDr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, andInter&Co Stadium.[2] It opened in 1936 asOrlando Stadium and has also been known as theTangerine Bowl andFlorida Citrus Bowl. The City of Orlando owns and operates the stadium.[3]
Camping World Stadium is the current home venue of theCitrus Bowl and thePop-Tarts Bowl. It is also the regular host of othercollege football games including theFlorida Classic betweenFlorida A&M andBethune-Cookman, theMEAC/SWAC Challenge, and theCamping World Kickoff. The stadium was built forfootball and in the past, it has served as the home of numerous minor/alternate-league football clubs, including teams from theWFL,USFL,WLAF,XFL,UFL, and most recently theOrlando Guardians of the2020 XFL. From 2011 to 2013, it was the home of theOrlando City SC, asoccer team inUSL Pro,[4] then it was a temporary home forOrlando City of theMLS whileInter&Co Stadium was under construction.
From 1979 to 2006, the stadium served as the home of theUCF Knights football team. It was one of the nine venues used for the1994 FIFA World Cup, and also hosted1996 Olympic soccer matches. The stadium has hosted theNFL'sPro Bowl five times.
Construction on the stadium began in 1936 as a project of theWorks Progress Administration under PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt during theGreat Depression.[5] The stadium was built to the immediate east of the baseball parkTinker Field, which opened in 1914. The stadium opened later in 1936 with a capacity of 8,900 as Orlando Stadium.[6] The first college football bowl game was played on January 1, 1947. Catawba defeated Maryville 31–6 in the inauguralTangerine Bowl. 2,000 seats were added in 1952. During this period, the stadium was known as the Tangerine Bowl. 5,000 more seats were added in 1968, along with the first press box.
From 1974 to 1976 an expansion project raised the capacity to 50,612, including a 3,600-seat upper deck on the east sidelines. However, shortly after completion the project proved to be a public fiasco and potentially an architectural and engineering failure. On November 27, 1976, the first major game was held at the expanded stadium, a regular season matchup betweenFlorida andMiami. During the game, the newly constructed upper deck noticeably swayed whenever fans stood up and cheered.[7] The deck vibrated, fences and railings shook and creaked, causing an unnerving sensation for the patrons sitting in those sections. The swaying and shaking was noticeable again about a month later during the1976 Tangerine Bowl game. The swaying was so pronounced that some fans vowed never to sit in those seats again, while some refused to return to the stadium at all.[8][9] Before long, engineering evaluations, as well as legal investigations, uncovered numerous missteps, rushing, and cut corners in the stadium's design. While it was believed that the upper deck was structurally sound and met building codes, it nevertheless was deemed a failure. Additional problems included inadequate access to restrooms in the upper deck, gaps between the sections which required obstructive fences, and the fact that the upper deck was built at such an angle that it had poor sight lines.[10][11] Meanwhile, unsightly I-beams installed to hold up the upper deck now blocked seats in the lower deck that were previously unobstructed.[12][13]
The maligned stadium's reputation was heavily tarnished after the upper deck scandal, criticized by public officials, media, and fans. Further complicating the situation wasUCF's pending move to the stadium for1979. The city finally received a settlement of $900,500 from the stadium's engineers, architects, and designers, money that was soon appropriated for new improvements. The infamous steel east upper deck was dismantled in May 1980.[14]
After various new improvements, and a $30 million renovation that added new concrete upper decks to both sides, a capacity of 65,438 was established in 1989. In 1983, the Florida Department of Citrus was added as a title sponsor for the facility, at a price of $250,000. From 1999 to 2002, key stadium improvements included the addition of contour seating, two escalators, and a new 107-foot (33 m) wide scoreboard/video screen. A new sound system, along with two full-color ribbon displays along the upper decks, were also added. The expansion resulted in the upper deck overhanging Tinker Field's right field area, albeit at a significant height.[15]
Camping World Stadium has been home field to several short-livedprofessional football teams. From 1966 to 1970, the stadium was home to theOrlando Panthers of theContinental Football League. In 1974, theFlorida Blazers of theWorld Football League played their only season in existence at the Tangerine Bowl. TheUSFL'sOrlando Renegades played one season in 1985. TheOrlando Thunder of theWLAF called the Citrus Bowl home in their two-season existence during the early 1990s, while theXFL'sOrlando Rage played there in 2001 as well as theUFL'sFlorida Tuskers, occupying the stadium for 2 seasons from 2009, before moving toVirginia Beach as theVirginia Destroyers in 2011. TheOrlando Fantasy of theLingerie Football League moved to the stadium shortly after, having previously used theUCF Arena.
In 2022, it was announced that Orlando had been chosen to be the home of one of the third incarnation of theXFL’s eight teams and that the team would play its home games at Camping World Stadium. TheOrlando Guardians played in the2023 XFL season before folding after the XFL'smerger with theUSFL.
The stadium hosted theNFL's all-star game, thePro Bowl, from2017 through2020.[16] In 2024, the event returned for a fifth time under the new titlePro Bowl Games. It was the first time since the NFL transitioned the event to a new format of skills competitions and non-contactFlag football. Seven NFL preseason games have been held at the stadium.[citation needed]
The stadium has hosted various college football games, including manybowl games:
TheFlorida High School Athletic Association state football championships are held at Camping World Stadium.The varsity football team from nearbyJones High School used Camping World Stadium as a regular season home field for decades through the end of their 2011 season. The school started playing home football games on their own field beginning on August 31, 2012.
The playing surface is large enough for use in internationalsoccer matches, and it was a venue for the1994 FIFA World Cup. In five matches, attendance averaged over 60,000 per match. In 1996,Olympic soccer matches in both themen's andwomen's competitions were held at the stadium.
It hosted theUSISL A-LeagueOrlando Sundogs in 1997. It also hosted theMajor League Soccer All-Star Game in 1998. The stadium was the home ofOrlando City SC, a soccer team in theUSL Pro League. In 2013, the investment group that owned that club was awarded an expansion team inMajor League Soccer. They spent their 2014 season in USL Pro atESPN Wide World of Sports Complex inLake Buena Vista while Camping World Stadium was being renovated.
During the 2013 season,Fifth Third Bank ownednaming rights to the field for Orlando City matches. Its name during those matches was Fifth Third Bank Field at the Citrus Bowl.
Orlando City played their final USL Pro match at Camping World Stadium on September 6, 2013. They won the USL Pro Championship overCharlotte Eagles, 7–4, before a crowd of 20,886.[19] The last soccer event held at Camping World Stadium before its renovation was aninternational friendly between the women's teams of theUnited States andBrazil. The U.S. won the match, 4–1, before a crowd of 20,274.[20]
Orlando City, now playing inMajor League Soccer, returned to Camping World Stadium for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
TheOrlando Pride, theNational Women's Soccer League 2016 expansion team owned by Orlando City SC, played in Camping World Stadium while the Orlando City (now Exploria) Stadium was completed.
Camping World Stadium was one of the venues forCopa América Centenario in June 2016. Three group stage matches were held there, Paraguay vs Costa Rica on June 4, Bolivia vs Panama on June 6 and Brazil vs Haiti on June 8.
The stadium hosted theMexico national football team vs.Guatemala "MexTour" on April 27, 2022.
The2022 Florida Cup exhibition soccer match betweenArsenal andChelsea, 4–0, had an attendance of 63,811, a record crowd for a soccer match at the stadium.
The stadium will be one of twelve venues to host the2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
| Date | Time (UTC−5) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 1994 | 12:30 |  Belgium | 1–0 |  Morocco | Group F | 61,219 |
| June 24, 1994 | 12:30 |  Mexico | 2–1 |  Republic of Ireland | Group E | 60,790 |
| June 25, 1994 | 12:30 | Belgium | 1–0 |  Netherlands | Group F | 62,387 |
| June 29, 1994 | 12:30 | Morocco | 1–2 | 60,578 | ||
| July 4, 1994 | 12:00 | Netherlands | 2–0 | Republic of Ireland | Round of 16 | 61,355 |
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2022 |  Arsenal | 4–0 | Chelsea | 2022 Florida Cup | 63,811 |
| August 2, 2023 |  Real Madrid | 1–3 |  Juventus | Club Friendly | 63,503 |
| July 30, 2024 | Barcelona | 2–2 | Manchester City | Club Friendly | 63,237 |
| Date | Time (UTC−4) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2025 | 21:00 | TBD |  Flamengo | Group D | ||
| June 26, 2025 | 15:00 | Juventus | Manchester City | Group G | ||
| June 30, 2025 | 21:00 | Winner Group G | Runner-up Group H | Round of 16 | ||
| July 4, 2025 | 15:00 | Winner Match 53 | Winner Match 54 | Quarter-finals |
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On March 30, 2008, the stadium hostedWrestleMania XXIV, the 2008 edition ofWWE's flagshipprofessional wrestlingpay-per-view. The firstWrestleMania held in Florida, and the second to be held entirely outdoors sinceWrestleMania IX atCaesars Palace,[21] it had a reported attendance of 74,635—the largest crowd in stadium history.[22] It was estimated to have brought in $51.5 million in revenue to the local economy.[23]
WWE returned to Camping World Stadium to hostWrestleMania 33, which took place on April 2, 2017.[24] WWE claimed an attendance record of 75,245, exceeding the total of WrestleMania XXIV.[25]
By 2005,Orlando-area government officials and officials from theUniversity of Central Florida (UCF) expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the facility and lack of revenue, as while UCF was the primary leasing tenant for the facility, it received minimal revenue from football games. Lack of an agreement to rectify these issues led UCF to consider relocating, or spend considerable expense to upgrade the facility at its own cost. In addition, the stadium's capacity was seen as too large for UCF, leaving the stadium an appearance of being empty even with attendance of as much as 30,000–40,000 people per game. UCF's all-time attendance record was 51,978 for the 2005C-USA Championship Game versusTulsa. Furthermore, the stadium was located over 10 miles (16 km) from the university's main campus in East Orlando, with travel times of up to a half-hour due to traffic. In 2005, UCF officials led byuniversity presidentJohn Hitt made the decision to construct a newon-campus stadium, which opened for the2007 season.
Orlando officials began exploring stadium refurbishment project in 2004, when theCapital One Bowl bid to become aBowl Championship Series (BCS) game, but was not chosen due to the stadium's aging condition. Camping World Stadium also submitted a bid for theACC Championship Game, but lost toJacksonville Municipal Stadium. The key reasons for losing the bids were the lack of modernluxury boxes, bench seating, and capacity. The hopes for Camping World Stadium became reality when, on September 29, 2006, Orlando MayorBuddy Dyer announced an agreement on a $175-million renovation of Camping World Stadium. It is part of the "Triple Crown for Downtown", a $1.1-billion plan to redo the Orlando Centroplex with anew $480-million arena for theOrlando Magic, a new $375-million performing arts center, and the Camping World Stadium improvements. Conceptual drawings for the possible improvements include enclosed concourses on the east and west sides of the stadium and additions to the north side that will finally complete the lower bowl.[28] The Orlando/Orange County Interlocal Agreement was approved by the Orlando City Council on August 6, 2007. However, the plans were heavily affected by theGreat Recession of 2007–08.
In 2010, the natural grass surface was replaced withAstroTurf Gameday Grass 3D after the2009 Champs Sports Bowl and2010 Capital One Bowl were marred by poor field conditions that led to two football player injuries. Stadium conditions once again prompted a review of the stadiums condition. Finally, it was announced in May 2013 that the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium would undergo a reconstruction during 2014, at a cost of less than US$200 million. The cost estimate as of March 2014 was US$207 million. The stadium's upper-level seating was retained, but the entire lower bowl structure was demolished.
In the newly reconstructed stadium there are two 360-degree concourses, a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) plaza deck ("Party Deck") in the north end zone, 41,000 all-new lower bowl seats with six additional inches of leg room & chairbacks, multiple giant video displays, new team facilities including locker rooms training rooms and attached media, new stadium operations facilities to allow better efficiency in food service, security, first aid and maintenance, new concessions and restrooms, and an open-air façade. The new mezzanine is now referred to as the "Plaza level". The upper deck, previously numbered the "300" level, is now numbered the "200" level.
The reconstruction began immediately following a groundbreaking event held at the stadium on January 29, 2014, and demolition of the entire lower bowl lasted 25 days. The first event at the renovated Camping World Stadium was the 2014 edition of theFlorida Classic on November 22, 2014. TheBethune-Cookman Wildcats defeated theFlorida A&M Rattlers, 18–17 in overtime.[29]
Orlando City returned to the renovated Camping World Stadium for the2015 season, their first season inMajor League Soccer, while awaiting construction oftheir ownsoccer-specific stadium. In their first match, a 1–1 draw against fellow expansion teamNew York City FC on March 8, 2015, they drew a sellout crowd of 62,510, the largest attendance for a soccer match at the venue.[30]
TheUnited States women's national soccer team returned to Camping World Stadium on October 25, 2015. They defeated Brazil again, 3–1. The attendance of 32,869 was the largest attendance for a standalone USWNT friendly in the state of Florida.[31]
TheOrlando Pride, the expansionNational Women's Soccer League team owned by Orlando City SC, played in Camping World Stadium until the Orlando City Stadium was complete. On April 23, 2016, they broke the record for attendance at an NWSL game, setting at 23,403, when the Pride beat theHouston Dash, 3–1.[32]
On November 19, 2015,CONCACAF andCONMEBOL announced that Camping World Stadium would be one of the host venues for theCopa América Centenario soccer tournament in 2016.[33]
On April 26, 2016, Florida Citrus Sports announced that they had soldnaming rights for the stadium toCamping World. Camping World also became the title sponsor of the stadium'scollege football kickoff game through at least 2019, and the annual December bowl game held at the stadium was known as theCamping World Bowl from 2017 through 2019. These naming changes did not affect the Citrus Bowl or the Florida Classic.[34]
In 2021, Camping World Stadium renovations included modernizing and improving the north endzone seating bowl, concession areas, club-level seating, and new premium mezzanine clubs on east and west. The project was completed on a fast-track schedule of less than 12 months by Construction Manager Barton Malow. During the work, the City of Orlando and Florida Citrus Sports hosted several events at the stadium. All were held without incident due to specialized safety techniques that separated construction activities, visitors, and staff.[35]
Florida Citrus Sports released plans for a new renovation on November 14, 2023. Plans included demolition of the upper decks built in the 1980s, and replacing them with a new set of upper decks on the east, west, and south sides of the stadium, integrated with the lower bowl in a 360-degree concourse. The new upper decks would total 18,000 seats. The plans also included a 100,000-square-foot fieldhouse.[36] The Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved $400 million in tourist development tax revenue for use in the renovation on January 23, 2024.[37]
Prior to the 2014 renovation, the stadium had 65,000[38] permanent seats. The lower bowl lacked permanent seats in the north end zone, though temporary bleachers could be erected there if necessary. The temporary bleachers were last used for the 2005 Capital One Bowl, which had an attendance of 70,229.
Following the renovation, theseating capacity was reduced to 60,219 due to the introduction of chair-back seats in the lower bowl and Plaza Level. The upper deck continues to have bench seats. Temporary bleachers can be added in the Plaza level in place of the Party Deck to increase the capacity to 65,194.[39]
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by first stadium ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex | Home ofOrlando City SC 2011 – 2013 2015 – 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by first stadium | Home ofOrlando Pride 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by first stadium | Home of the Orlando Rage 2001 | Succeeded by last stadium |
| Preceded by | Home of the Orlando Guardians 2023 – present | Succeeded by current |
| Preceded by first stadium | Home of the UCF Knights 1979 – 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Home ofRussell Athletic Bowl 2001 – present | Succeeded by current |
| Preceded by first stadium Florida Field | Home ofCitrus Bowl 1947 – 1972 1974 – present | Succeeded by Florida Field current |
| Preceded by | Host of the ACC Championship Game 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of theNFL Pro Bowl 2017 – 2020 2024 - Present | Succeeded by Allegiant StadiumCurrent |
| Preceded by | Host ofWrestleMania 2008 (24) 2017 (33) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of theNCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game 1979 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of theDrum Corps International World Championship 1996 – 1998 2003 | Succeeded by |
