Stadium Supreme
'USA Today' readers rank Lumen Field first among NFL stadiums
By Sarah Stackhouse August 29, 2025
Lumen Field was named Best NFL Stadium in 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, its second win in three years.
USA Today describes it as “a locals’ stadium,” praising the atmosphere created by the fans along with “a bountiful selection of local craft beer… and a diverse array of foods, including Pacific Northwest favorites.” The write-up highlights the “staggering views of downtown Seattle” and its easy public transit access.
The stadium also placed No. 2 for Best NFL Stadium Food thanks to kitchens backed by Seahawks legends Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, and Walter Jones, plus more than 40 local vendor partners within a three-mile radius. USA Today highlights the variety of flavors, from dumplings to tacos, along with “local-fave” Tutta Bella’s Neapolitan pizza and specialty “Versus Dogs,” which are hot dogs inspired by the opposing team’s hometown.
The 10 stadiums on the list were nominated by an expert panel of journalists, sports and travel writers, and entrepreneurs, with readers casting the final votes. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta took second overall, and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium came in third.
Built on just 30 acres—one of the most compact NFL sites—Lumen Field seats nearly 69,000. Designed with input from late Seahawks owner Paul Allen, it reflects his push for an intimate, open-air experience inspired by the Husky Stadium games he attended growing up.
Recent “Fanovation” upgrades added new video boards, premium spaces, and more than a dozen concession and retail stands—the most of any sports venue in the world. Earlier innovations included being the first NFL venue to install FieldTurf. Last year, the stadium became a certified zero-waste venue, with sustainability reports praising its vegetarian and vegan menu options.
It is not just the upgrades that get international attention. Seahawks fans twice claimed the Guinness World Record for loudest outdoor stadium crowd, cementing the 12s’ reputation as the league’s loudest. The acoustics also make it a prime concert venue, where big tours play against the backdrop of Seattle’s stunning skyline.
And perhaps Lumen Field’s brightest spotlight is still to come. Alongside hosting the NFL Seahawks, soccer’s Sounders, and Seattle Reign, the stadium is set to welcome the world when FIFA Men’s World Cup matches arrive in the summer of 2026. It will host six of the games, with an estimated $1 billion in economic impact for the region.
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