Reimagined From the ground up
The best place to watch football in America
America’s best conference, in America’s best stadium for the sport. Better-than-television sightlines from every seat. Instead of the poor sightlines inherent in a traditional stadium bowl, New Ryan Field leverages modern engineering to bring every seat closer to the field, optimizing every fan’s view of the action and creating the intimacy of an arena with the scale of a stadium.
Premium experience for every fan, at every price point
Instead of the traditional college stadium experience with skyboxes for the few and benches for the many, every fan at the new Ryan Field will get a premium experience with a comfortable seat, protected from the weather by a canopy.
A full day of experiences
With 200,000 square feet of parks and plazas surrounding the stadium but within the ticketed perimeter, the new Ryan Field will host pregame activities for every type of fan. In addition to traditional Big Ten tailgating, there will be an ‘NFL Experience’-inspired family festival in a new park and a plaza featuring pop-ups from some of Chicago’s best restaurants. In addition, the new Ryan Field will have a student plaza and hall hosting student festivities with food and live music, as well as a community tailgating zone.
new era.
bold expectations.
The opening of the new Ryan Field symbolizes more than a new stadium. It represents years of investment, growth, and belief in the future of Northwestern Football.
Built Here
With 88% of eligible snaps returning from the 2025 season, this roster was built here. This leadership was built here. This culture was built here.
Built To Win
A program already constructed to compete in the Big Ten and pursue College Football Playoff contention. A stronger culture, a tougher identity, and a roster capable of competing in the Big Ten and beyond.
Magical experience
The best premium experience in chicago sports
Bigger stadium. Fewer seats. By design.
The stadium itself is 320,000 square feet larger than the old Ryan Field — with fewer seats, in service of a premium experience for every fan. Not a smaller stadium — the first of its kind.
35,000
Capacity—every seat premium
+520,000
sf larger than the old Ryan Field, including plaza and festival grounds
$870M
Most expensive college football stadium ever built
194%
of ADA-required minimum—most accessible major stadium ever built
The best hospitality spaces in chicago
Choose from eight private in-bowl hospitality spaces at Ryan Field, hosting groups of 25 to 250 to watch the game together in Chicago’s premier setting. Or enjoy a private tailgate on the grounds, offering full-service pregame and halftime hospitality within the gameday footprint. Ryan Field’s private clubs are also available for non-gameday meetings, receptions, celebrations, and events.
Kevin O’Brien Tailgating Tents
Your own private tailgate, steps from the gates.
Field bars
Located in the south endzone, these open-air bar and beer halls put fans on the sidelines with true see-the-field sightlines.
Scoreboard Terraces
Two terraces with their own dedicated bars, each offering ~2,000 square feet overlooking the field with direct scoreboard views. Capacity ranges from 150 to 250 guests per terrace — ideal for corporate entertaining with a premium game day atmosphere.
South End Zone Patios
Two patios above the vomitories in the south end zone, adjacent to the student section. At 280 square feet with capacity for 25 guests each, these intimate spaces offer an energetic vantage point for hosts who want their guests immersed in the atmosphere of the game.
Press-level party decks
Two expansive decks on the press level overlooking the field, each offering 2,175 square feet with capacity for 100 to 250 guests. These are purpose-built for large-scale private events and corporate hosting.
The new gold standard in stadiums is purple
Tickets are now available to the public!