Bank of America Stadium rises in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, as one of the Southeast’s most active sports and entertainment venues. The privately financed, open-air facility opened on August 3, 1996, as Ericsson Stadium — purpose-built for football and immediately embraced as the permanent home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Bank of America acquired naming rights in 2004, giving the stadium the identity it carries today.
Since 2022, the venue has also served as home turf for Charlotte FC, Major League Soccer’s expansion club, whose debut drew 74,479 fans — a new MLS record for a stand-alone match at the time. Beyond regular-season professional sports, the stadium hosted Copa América 2024 matches including the semifinal and third-place playoff, and is a host site for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, cementing Charlotte’s standing as a global soccer destination.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Carolina Panthers (NFL), Charlotte FC (MLS)
- Location: Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
- Opened: 1996 (as Ericsson Stadium; renamed Bank of America Stadium 2004)
- Capacity: 75,037
- Surface: FieldTurf Vertex CORE (since 2021)
- Construction Cost: $500 million (privately financed)
- Notable: Hosted Copa América 2024 semifinal and third-place match
Built for Football, Ready for Everything
The stadium was designed with football at its core — a distinction shared by few multipurpose venues of its era. Its tight bowl configuration places every seat close to the field, and a steep upper-deck rake preserves the sightlines that drew praise when the building debuted. The footprint spans roughly 15 acres (900 by 800 feet), housing 151 luxury suites, a 50,000-square-foot climate-controlled club level, and more than 1,400,000 square feet of interior space.
Technology upgrades have kept the facility competitive. Dual high-definition video boards — each approximately 55 feet tall by 198 feet wide — anchor each end zone, while two 360-degree ribbon boards run nearly 2,000 feet in combined length. FieldTurf Vertex CORE replaced the natural grass surface in 2021, and an $800 million renovation planned between 2024 and 2029 is set to overhaul the exterior and expand the concourses.
A Global Stage in the Carolinas
Charlotte’s position in the Southeast has elevated Bank of America Stadium into a venue of international significance. The stadium has hosted CONCACAF Gold Cup matches and served as a Copa América 2024 site — including the semifinal and third-place match — before welcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup competition. On the college side, it has staged ACC Championship games and the annual Duke’s Mayo Bowl since 2002.
Concerts have packed the stands as well, with acts such as The Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, Garth Brooks, and Elton John performing there. The Panthers recorded more than 150 consecutive sellouts beginning with the 2002 season, and Charlotte FC’s inaugural MLS home match set a single-game attendance record for the league — two milestones that reflect the stadium’s enduring pull on fans across the Carolinas.
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Bank of America Stadium FAQs
When did Bank of America Stadium open?
The stadium opened on August 3, 1996, under the name Ericsson Stadium. Bank of America purchased naming rights in 2004, and the venue has carried its current name since.
What teams play at Bank of America Stadium?
The Carolina Panthers of the NFL have used the stadium as their home since it opened in 1996. Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer joined as a co-tenant in 2022, with their debut attracting 74,479 fans — a record for a stand-alone MLS match at the time.
Has Bank of America Stadium hosted international soccer?
Yes. The stadium has hosted CONCACAF Gold Cup matches and was selected as a Copa América 2024 venue, staging the tournament’s semifinal and third-place playoff. It is also a host site for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Photo: Quintin Soloviev / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.