The Farm | |
 The new Stanford Stadium | |
 | |
| Address | 625 Nelson Road |
|---|---|
| Location | Stanford University Stanford, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 37°26′4″N122°09′40″W / 37.43444°N 122.16111°W /37.43444; -122.16111 |
| Public transit |  Stanford(game days only)[1] |
| Owner | Stanford University |
| Operator | Stanford University |
| Capacity | 50,424 (2013–present)[2] Former capacity: List
|
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 1, 1921 (1921-06-01) (original stadium)[4] November 26,2005 (current stadium) |
| Opened | October 1, 1921; 104 years ago (1921-10-01) (original stadium)[6] September 16,2006 (current stadium)[2] |
| Renovated | 1985, 1995 |
| Demolished | 2005 |
| Construction cost | $90 million (2006) $200,000 (1921) |
| Architect | Hoover and Associates (2006 renovation) |
| General contractor | Vance Brown Builders (2006 renovation)[5] |
| Tenants | |
| Stanford Cardinal football (NCAA) (1921–present) San Francisco 49ers (NFL) (1989, single game) San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) (2011–present) (selected matches) Stanford Cardinal softball (NCAA) (2025) | |
| Website | |
| gostanford.com//stanford-stadium | |
Stanford Stadium is an outdoorcollege footballstadium located on the campus ofStanford University inStanford, California, United States. It is the home of theStanford Cardinal and hosts the university's commencement exercises. Opened 104 years ago in1921 as a football andtrack and field stadium,[7] it was an earthen horseshoe with wooden bleacher seating and flooring[8] upon a steel frame.[9][10] Its originalseating capacity was 60,000, which grew to 89,000 by 1927 as a nearly enclosed bowl.[11]
Immediately following the2005 season, the stadium was demolished and rebuilt as a dual-deck concrete structure, without a track. Today, it seats 50,424. The natural grass playing field runs northwest to southeast, at an approximateelevation of sixty feet (18 m) abovesea level.
Stanford Stadium was built in five months in 1921 and opened its gates on November 19, replacingStanford Field.[12] The first game was against rivalCalifornia, who defeated Stanford 42–7 in theBig Game.[13]Seating capacity was originally 60,000, with a 66-row, U-Shaped structure second only to theYale Bowl in size at the time.[14]
In1925, 10,200 seats were added to the stadium, nearly enclosing the horseshoe while still keeping the overall height of the facility intact. In1927, fourteen additional rows of seating were added,[11] increasing the stadium to its maximum capacity of 85,500, with eighty rows of seating.[15][16] In 1932, the stadium hosted theUSA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 1935, Stanford Stadium set a record (for the time) for single-game attendance, with 94,000 spectators filling it for a 13–0 victory overCalifornia.
On December 14, 1982, it was announced that Stanford Stadium would hostSuper Bowl XIX in 1985 to become the first Super Bowl hosted in the Bay Area; its stadium capacity of over 80,000 exceeded both of the stadiums inhabited by Bay Area teams of the time inCandlestick Park (60,000+) andOakland Coliseum (53,000+). Renovations at the cost of over $2 million (with a significant portion given by the NFL) were done to improve the facilities (ranging from the water systems to the renovation of Row 80 to a renovated ticket office) prior to the Super Bowl being played. A portable lighting system was also brought in for the game, which would start at 3pm local time.[17]
In January 1985,Super Bowl XIX was held in Stanford Stadium, with the Bay Area's ownSan Francisco 49ers defeating theMiami Dolphins, 38–16.
As of 2025, Stanford Stadium is one of two venues (theRose Bowl being the other) to host a Super Bowl without previously serving as the home stadium of aNational Football League (NFL) orAmerican Football League (AFL) team, and Super Bowl XIX is one of only three Super Bowls where the host region saw its team win (the others beingSuper Bowl LV andSuper Bowl LVI, where theTampa Bay Buccaneers and theLos Angeles Rams respectively became the first two teams to play and win a Super Bowl at their home stadiums).
On October 22,1989, theSan Francisco 49ers played a home game at the stadium against theNew England Patriots, asCandlestick Park had suffered serious damage following theLoma Prieta earthquake five days earlier.
The stadium has hostedsoccer matches for the1984 Summer Olympics as one of three venues outside southern California for that Olympics,[18] the1994 FIFA World Cup, and the1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Major League Soccer'sSan Jose Earthquakes have hosted one match at the stadium each year since 2011. The first year's opponent was theNew York Red Bulls; since 2012, the Earthquakes have used the stadium to host their home leg of theCalifornia Clásico versus theLos Angeles Galaxy.
| Date | Time (UTC−7) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 20, 1994 | 13:00 |  Brazil | 2–0 |  Russia | Group B | 81,061 |
| June 24, 1994 | 13:00 | 3–0 |  Cameroon | 83,401 | ||
| June 26, 1994 | 13:00 |  Switzerland | 0–2 |  Colombia | Group A | 83,401 |
| June 28, 1994 | 13:00 | Russia | 6–1 | Cameroon | Group B | 74,914 |
| July 4, 1994 | 12:35 | Brazil | 1–0 |  United States | Round of 16 | 84,147 |
| July 10, 1994 | 12:35 |  Romania | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–5pen.) |  Sweden | Quarter-final | 83,500 |
| Date | Time (UTC−7) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 4, 1999 | 13:30 | United States | 2–0 | Brazil | Semi-final | 73,123 |
| Date | Competition | Team | Res | Team | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 14, 1996 | 1998 FIFA World Cup Qualifying (CONCACAF) | United States | 2–1 |  Costa Rica | 40,527 |
| March 16, 1997 | 3–0 |  Canada | 28,898 |
With Stanford extensively renovating its softball park, Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium, after the 2024 season, the university moved homesoftball games to Stanford Stadium for the 2025 season. The Cardinal set a new NCAA single-game attendance record on April 19, 2025 when 13,207 attended Stanford's rivalry game againstCalifornia.[19]
Other high-profile events hosted at Stanford Stadium includeHerbert Hoover's acceptance speech for the1928Republican Presidential nomination[20] and the 1962 edition of the long-running (1958–1985) series of track meets between the United States and the Soviet Union.[21][22]Coldplay played at the stadium on May 31 and June 1, 2025 as part of theirMusic of the Spheres World Tour, making them the first act to hold two shows there on a single tour.[23]
The stadium has undergone a number of significant renovations since the 1920s. In 1960, a press box was added, while the first, and last syntheticathletics track was installed in 1978 (replacing the cinder track that had been used for many years).
In 1985, prior toSuper Bowl XIX, the press box was renovated, new locker rooms were installed, a ticket complex and dressing room for game officials were added, and the number of restrooms were increased.[24]
In 1994, prior to the1994 FIFA World Cup, the lower level of the press box was expanded and aluminum benches were installed throughout the stadium. The crown of the playing surface was also reduced.[24]
In 1995, a $10 million gift from Los Angeles insurance executive and 1935 Stanford graduate Louis W. Foster enabled further updates to the stadium, including widening the concourse, improving the restrooms, and replacing the remaining wooden seats. In honor of his gift, Stanford named the playing surface the Louis W. Foster Family Field at Stanford Stadium.[24][25]
In June 2005, the university board of trustees authorized plans for the stadium's demolition and reconstruction that would remove the track, reduce the stadium capacity, and bring it up to date with present standards for sporting venues. Various justifications for the renovation included poor sightlines in the existing stadium (rendering the bottom 14 rows unusable), long stairways, and lack of adequate restroom facilities. The track around the stadium had previously created a large distance between the field and the spectators.
The capacity of the new stadium was set to be approximately 50,000 seats, which were made by Ducharme Seating. The reduction in capacity was a strategic decision by Stanford's Athletics Program to boost season ticket sales and create a more intimate playing atmosphere without sacrificing the ability to host large world-class events, such as theFIFA World Cup, in the future. This was partially the result ofSan Francisco's failure to secure a bid for the2012 Olympics, which would have featured a renovated Stanford Stadium as the main Olympic Venue.
Construction began minutes after the Cardinal's last home game of the2005 football season, a 38–31 loss toNotre Dame on November 26. Bulldozers began tearing out the natural field turf in a ceremony held while attendees were still in the stadium for the game. Construction proceeded quickly through the winter and spring with the goal of opening in time for Stanford's game againstSan Jose State on September 9, 2006, but the game had to be relocated to San Jose State'sSpartan Stadium due to an unusually wet winter and resulting construction delays. In the summer of 2006, a construction worker fell 23 feet (7.0 m) to his death.[26]
The stadium opened on September 16,2006 with Stanford losing toNavy 37–9. TheStanford Band was not present at the stadium opening since they were not permitted to play at any athletic events in the month of September due to accusations of vandalism to a temporary trailer which formerly served as their rehearsal facility. Instead, the Navy band performed at halftime and played throughout the game.
The facility now has a rectangular shape, occupies 18.4 acres (74,000 m2) with a footprint of 601,128 sq ft (55,847 m2), and has a playing surface 29 feet (8.8 m) below ground level. The stadium has 43 rows on the sides, 22 rows on the ends, and 30 rows below the skybox. The skybox also has 437 spectator seats, more than double the number of the previous press box.
In 2013, Stanford upgraded its scoreboards with twinHD video boards. Also, a 1,673-foot (510 m) ribbon board was added, which displays out-of-town scores and real-time statistics.
| Preceded by | Host ofSuper Bowl XIX 1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of theCollege Cup 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by various venues Soviet Union | Summer Olympics Soccer venue 1984 | Succeeded by various venues South Korea |
