The Best Football Cities In America
In America, no other sport brings in crowds of loyal fans like football. But not every football town is the same, with some being a cut above the others for their great ticket prices, wild fans, and overall love of the game.
These are 15 of America's greatest football cities.
Green Bay, Wisconsin
When it comes to intensely adoring fans, the Packers have got all other teams beat. With a population of about 318,000 people, Green Bay is the smallest city with a team in any of the country's four major sports.
But despite their small beginnings, the Packers have become one of the NFL's most successful teams. With more than 538,000 shareholders, the team's home turf, Lambeau Field, is always sold-out come game time.
All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Green Bay, Wisconsin (cont'd)
The stadium at Lambeau Field is located in downtown Green Bay, and can seat 80, 735 people. Some of the Packers' most famous victories over their rival, the Chicago Bears, were had at this stadium. They've been sworn enemies for over 100 years.
Green Bay is an affordable town to visit, which makes for a great vacation. But if you're hoping to see the Packers at Lambeau Field, you'll have to get in line—more than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for tickets.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Welcome to the home of the Steelers, one of the league's most renowned teams. Their home field, Acrisure Stadium sits at the intersection of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers.
The football fans in Pittsburgh are what makes this city so great, and the excitement that they have for their team is infectious.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (cont'd)
Steelers fans love their team because those guys are really good at what they do. The team has the best record in the NFL, with the most playoff (33 wins) and regular season-season wins.
The Steelers have also played and hosted the most conference championship games and have won the most divisional titles (20 wins) in the league.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is one of the pricier places to visit, but it's an awesome football town. Home of the Broncos, the city's stadium, Empower Field at Mile High (formerly Sports Authority), is true to its name and is precisely one mile above sea level.
Denver, Colorado (cont'd)
Sports Authority Field isn't just a great place to see the game; it also provides breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains and downtown Denver.
Another plus about Denver is that tickets to a Broncos game aren't that hard to get and are usually cheaper than most other franchises.
Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, California
Up until 2014, San Francisco's Candlestick Park was the home turf for both the 49ers and the New York Giants. That year, the stadium was demolished, and the 49ers got a new home turf, Levi's Stadium.
San Francisco, California (cont'd)
Levi's Stadium is one of the most eco-friendly arenas in the NFL. The only downside is that it's in Santa Clara, about 40 miles away from San Fransisco.
But if you don't want to make the trek out of town, you can check out games for two of America's most renowned college football teams: Berkeley and Stanford.
Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit Lions aren't the greatest team in the NFL, but they put on a heck of a show. The Lions have one of the best-ranked fanbases and most of their games quickly sell out.
Their home turf, Ford Field, has been called one of the best stadiums in the league.
Detroit, Michigan (cont'd)
Ford Field is right downtown, so there are lots of cool restaurants and bars nearby. That makes this city perfect for tailgate parties before the game. As an added bonus, Lions tickets are some of the most affordable in the league.
Seattle, Washington
The Seattle Seahawks fans are known for their outspoken support of the team. They've been known to get so loud at games that the overwhelming ruckus has caused dozens of false starts.
Seahawks fans love their team so much that they've been nicknamed the "12th man". In recognition of their fans' loyalty, the Seahawks retired the number 12 jersey.
M I K E M O R R I S, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, Washington (cont'd)
The Seahawks' home stadium, Lumen Field is one of the more attractive stadiums in the league.
Situated near Elliot Bay, the arena offers an unparalleled view of downtown Seattle and can accommodate 67,000 spectators.
kallerna, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dallas, Texas
The Cowboys are one the most popular teams in the country and in 2023, they were named the world's most valuable sports team for the seventh consecutive year. The team is worth $9 billion, so it's no surprise that their home stadium, AT&T Stadium, is one of the best in the country.
Dallas, Texas (cont'd)
Costing $1.15 billion to construct, the AT&T Stadium features some of the best architecture and technological innovations in the NFL.
Some of the more impressive aspects of the stadium are the pair of 300-foot arches that span the length of the dome, which is one of the tallest in the world, and its retractable roof.
The stadium also has the most seating capacity in the NFL, with the ability to accommodate up to 100,000 adoring fans.
Boston, Massachusetts
Welcome to the birthplace of American football. It's said that in the 1850s, people combined aspects of soccer and rugby, making the "Boston game".
Eventually, the game was a hit at prep schools. Nowadays, football fever is all over the country and the Patriots are one of the most recognizable teams in the NFL.
Boston, Massachusetts (cont'd)
Catching a game at the Patriots' home field, Gilette Stadium, is always fun. That's thanks in part to the End Zone Militia.
Dressed in Revolutionary War gear, the End Zone Militia fire blanks from flintlock muskets every time the Patriots get a touchdown. The stadium is also home to the University of Massachusetts Minutemen.
Caldvan, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Bengals may not be the most popular team, considering they're one of 12 NFL teams to have never won a Super Bowl, but football games in Cincinnati are a blast.
Come game time, the Paul Brown Stadium, nicknamed "The Jungle", fills with some of the friendliest fans in the league.
AlexanderJonesi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cincinnati, Ohio (cont'd)
Cincinnati is one of the most affordable cities in the Midwest, so a trip there won't break the bank. And the Bengals aren't the only team you can see play here—lots of college teams come to play at the The Jungle.
But the best part about football in Cincinnati is that tickets are cheap, with Bengals tickets being among the most affordable in the NFL.
Oakland, California
Welcome to the home of "Raider Nation", the diehard fanbase for the Raiders. When it comes to football games, Raider Nation go all out, and are known for dressing up in eccentric outfits and costumes.
All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, California (cont'd)
In 2019, the Raiders found a new home field in the Allegiant Stadium. Located right near the Las Vegas Strip, this arena features the world's largest 3D-printed object: A torch in honor of the team's late owner, Al Davis.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Since moving to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984, the Colts have had some wildly successful eras and some that were utterly disappointing.
Yet even when the chips are down, the team has no problem selling out seats at their home field, Lucas Oil Stadium.
Indianapolis, Indiana (cont'd)
Lucas Oil Stadium is one of the NFL's more unique arenas. It is trimmed with Indiana limestone to match other sports buildings in the city, and also has a retractable roof and moveable window on the north side of the stadium.
That means that not only can you enjoy a Colts game in any weather, you'll also get incredible views of the Indianapolis skyline.
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis Colts - 2008
Baltimore, Maryland
Up until 1996, the Ravens were known as the Clevland Browns. But when the team moved ton Baltimore, fans voted to name it after the bird that is connected to Edgar Allan Poe, a famous Baltimore resident.
Now, the Ravens call the M&T Bank Stadium their home, and games at this stadium have a couple unusual features.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Baltimore, Maryland (cont'd)
During the postseason, the stadium is lit up with purple LED lights. But the strangest part about games here is the marching band. There are only two marching bands in the NFL and Baltimore's Marching Ravens are one of them (the other plays for the Washington Commanders).
The band has been playing for the city's football teams since 1947.
Kansas City, Missouri
There's only one thing Chiefs fans take more seriously than football: barbeque. Tailgate parties from the parking lots near the team's home field, Arrowhead Stadium, are tradition at this point.
The food isn't the only great thing at a Chiefs game—just wait till you meet the fans.
All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City, Missouri (cont'd)
Chiefs fans are known for being one of the friendliest fanbases in the NFL. They always show up for games—in fact, it's been more than thirty years since the Chiefs failed to sell out their home turf.
Chiefs fans love to cheer on their team, so once the national anthem is done, get ready to join in on all the loud chanting.
Buffalo, New York
Going to see the Bills at their home stadium, named after the team, is not for the faint of heart.
Bills' fans, who are known as the Bills Mafia, have earned a reputation for being the most unruly in the league. Some of their wilder antics include jumping on table before the game and running around shirtless in the freezing New York weather.
All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo, New York (cont'd)
One of the Bills' most infamous fans is Ken "Pinto Ron" Johnson. Pinto Ron's tailgate parties are legendary in Buffalo. Hundreds of people gather around to watch Ron grill food on the hood of his old, red Ford Pinto.
He's been hosting the tailgate parties at his house for nearly 30 years.
Joost J. Bakker, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans isn't really known for its football scene and for many years, the Saints were one of the saddest teams in the NFL.
That all changed in 2009, when they won Super Bowl XLIV, touching the hearts of football fans around the country. Nowadays, they're one of the country's coolest football cities.
New Orleans, Louisiana (cont'd)
The Saints home stadium, Caesars Superdome, has hosted seven super bowl games and is slated to host the eighth one in 2025. It can seat up to 76, 468 people and is close to lots of great bars that are perfect for pre-game parties.
The Saints fans are known for their "Who Dat?" chant, so expect to join in if you make it to a game.
