Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois — officially renamed Gies Memorial Stadium in September 2025 — is the home field of Illinois Fighting Illini football on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. It’s both a working Big Ten stadium and a WWI memorial, with nearly 200 exterior columns inscribed with the names of University of Illinois students and alumni who died in the war.
If you’re trying to find the stadium, plan a visit, or just understand why a Big Ten football venue in Champaign is called a ‘memorial’ stadium, here’s everything in one place: location, capacity, history, and what to expect on gameday.
Quick Answer
Gies Memorial Stadium (formerly Memorial Stadium) is at 1402 South First Street in Champaign and seats 60,670 for Illinois Fighting Illini football. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, and the clear bag policy allows one clear bag up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″ (or 12″ x 12″ drawstring) plus a 4.5″ x 7.0″ clutch. Gameday parking is $30 in official lots, with new lot-specific traffic routes for 2026 starting about three and a half hours before kickoff, and C-U MTD’s 280 tranSPORT bus runs on gamedays for $2.00 round trip.
Gies Memorial Stadium Gameday Guide (2026 Season)
- Bag policy: One clear bag (one-gallon Ziploc-style, clear drawstring up to 12″ x 12″, or clear tote up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″) plus a small clutch of 4.5″ x 7.0″ per ticketed guest.
- Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff for the general public; two hours before kickoff for premium seating ticket holders.
- Parking: Gameday lots are $30 (orange lots on gameday, teal lots in advance); single-game parking starts at 7 a.m. CT, and 2026 brings lot-specific traffic routes starting about 3.5 hours before kickoff.
- Tailgating: Allowed in parking lots for fans 21 and over to drink; tents and awnings 10′ x 10′ or smaller, grills at least 25 feet from foot traffic, buildings and tents.
- Payments: Cashless at all selling points in the stadium and for gameday parking.
- Re-entry: Not permitted once a ticket has been scanned.
Policies checked against the official team and stadium pages in September 2026. Rules can change game to game, so confirm on the official gameday guide and the official clear bag policy before you go.
Gies Memorial Stadium Bag Policy (2026)
Each ticketed guest may carry one large clear bag: a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag, a clear drawstring bag not to exceed 12″ x 12″, or a clear tote no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″. A small clutch purse of 4.5″ x 7.0″ is also allowed. All bags are subject to search and inspection.
The official list of items not permitted includes flags and banners, noisemakers, weapons, non-clear bags, coolers or containers, laptops, video recorders, selfie sticks, umbrellas and strollers.
Medical items that cannot fit in a clear bag are allowed but must be inspected and tagged by security supervisors at the gates. Diaper bags are permitted with a child and get a thorough inspection. The SW Entrance on Kirby Avenue, on the west side of the stadium, handles bag checks for diaper bags, medical bags and media equipment.
Gates and Entry
Entrances open 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff for the general public and two hours before kickoff for premium seating ticket holders.
Re-entry is not permitted once a ticket has been scanned, and a new ticket is required to come back in. Premium areas have a separate rule: guests who leave and return must have their ticket scanned on exit and again on re-entry. Illinois Athletics and the Division of Public Safety also announced upgraded security at stadium entrances in 2025, so the official gameday page is the place to check for current screening details.
Parking at Gies Memorial Stadium
The official 2026 parking page uses a color-coded gameday map. Lots marked orange can be bought on gameday for $30, and lots marked teal have spaces sold in advance for $30. Single-game parking, including the large grass lot in Research Park off Oak Street, starts at 7 a.m. CT. Gameday parking is cashless, and passes can be bought with a debit or credit card.
Accessible parking starting at 7 a.m. CT is in the ADA spaces in the four quadrants of State Farm Center. The fee is $30 unless the patron has an I FUND parking pass.
New for 2026, Illinois Athletics is using a lot-specific traffic-routing system on gameday. Drivers must follow the designated route assigned to their lot beginning about three and a half hours before kickoff, and traffic patterns initially run in reverse after the game. Check the official parking page for the route to each lot.
Tailgating Rules
Fans 21 and over may drink alcohol in tailgating areas, but alcohol may not be carried into or out of the stadium.
Fires and hot coals must stay inside grills or other containers made for that purpose, be attended at all times, and be set up at least 25 feet from foot traffic, buildings, tents and flammable materials. Personal tents and awnings must be 10′ x 10′ or smaller and fit within one parking space. Do not block the driving aisle or take a second space, because aisles must stay clear for emergency vehicles. For lot opening times and other tailgate details, see the official tailgate guide.
Getting to Gies Memorial Stadium
C-U MTD runs a football gameday route, the 280 tranSPORT: Urbana, open to the public to ease traffic and parking congestion at home games. Per MTD, service begins 2 hours before kickoff, the final trips to the stadium leave 15 minutes after kickoff, and the last buses back leave 30 minutes after the game ends. The fare is $2.00 round trip, and it is free with a University of Illinois iCard or a valid MTD pass. Check mtd.org for the current pickup points.
Rideshare pickup and drop-off is at the State Farm Center circle drives, which rideshare vehicles reach from either First Street or Fourth Street. Drivers get there via Windsor Road, then north on First Street (west side) or north on Fourth Street (east side).
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics also runs 15-passenger shuttles to and from parking lots on gameday. Pickup points are marked with a white square on the official gameday parking map.
Best Seats and Seat Views
Seat advice here draws on third-party seating guides, not the university. The east side has the most seats and the largest sideline sections. Its overhanging balcony covers rows 50 and higher, though the view can be obstructed near the back. The west side has smaller sideline sections, plus the press box, suites and the Colonnades Club under its balcony. The Colonnades Club has padded chairback seating.
The student section is in the north stand, the newest structure and the loudest. Outside the east-side balcony overhang, seats are uncovered, and November games can be cold and windy at the ends. Sideline seats between the goal lines on the lower level give the best overall view. The official seating map is on fightingillini.com.
Food and Drink
All selling points in the stadium are cashless. Sealed plastic water bottles of 20 oz. or smaller, and empty water bottles or tumblers, may be carried in. The official concessions page has the current menu and any alcohol sales details.
Gies Memorial Stadium Gameday FAQ
What is the bag policy at Gies Memorial Stadium? Each ticketed guest may bring one clear bag (a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag, a clear drawstring bag up to 12″ x 12″, or a clear tote up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″) plus a small clutch of 4.5″ x 7.0″. Medical items are allowed after inspection and tagging at the gates, and diaper bags are allowed with a child. Bag checks for those are at the SW Entrance on Kirby Avenue.
When do gates open at Gies Memorial Stadium? Entrances open 90 minutes before kickoff for the general public and two hours before kickoff for premium seating ticket holders.
Where can I park for a game at Gies Memorial Stadium? Use the official gameday parking map. Orange lots are sold on gameday for $30, and teal lots are sold in advance for $30. The large grass lot in Research Park off Oak Street offers single-game parking from 7 a.m. CT. ADA parking is in the State Farm Center quadrants for $30. Follow your lot’s assigned traffic route, which starts about three and a half hours before kickoff.
Can you tailgate at Gies Memorial Stadium? Yes, in parking lots. Fans 21 and over may drink there, but alcohol cannot go into or out of the stadium. Tents must be 10′ x 10′ or smaller and fit in one parking space, and grills must be at least 25 feet from foot traffic, buildings and tents.
Is there a bus to Gies Memorial Stadium on gameday? Yes. C-U MTD runs the 280 tranSPORT: Urbana on football gamedays, starting 2 hours before kickoff. The fare is $2.00 round trip, and it is free with a University of Illinois iCard or a valid MTD pass. The last trips to the stadium leave 15 minutes after kickoff, and the last buses back leave 30 minutes after the game ends.
Where is rideshare pickup and drop-off at Gies Memorial Stadium? Rideshare vehicles use the State Farm Center circle drives, reached from First Street or Fourth Street. Access is via Windsor Road, then north on First Street (west side) or north on Fourth Street (east side).
Where Is Memorial Stadium in Champaign?
The stadium’s street address is 1402 South First Street, Champaign, IL 61820, on the southeast side of the University of Illinois campus. It sits directly next to the State Farm Center (the Illini basketball arena) and the Smith Football Performance Center, making that stretch of campus the athletics hub for Urbana-Champaign.
The stadium is easy to spot from a distance thanks to its columned exterior — a design detail that sets it apart from typical enclosed-bowl football stadiums and is the first clue to its memorial origins.
A Stadium Built to Remember
Unlike most college football venues, Memorial Stadium was conceived first as a memorial and second as a sports facility. Ground broke on September 11, 1922, and the stadium opened November 3, 1923, with a 7-0 Homecoming win over Chicago; it was formally dedicated on October 18, 1924, during a homecoming game against Michigan.
Designed by Holabird & Roche (with English Brothers as general contractor), its U-shaped original layout borrowed from Harvard Stadium. The colonnade of nearly 200 pillars was funded in part by donors who purchased individual columns to honor University of Illinois students and alumni killed in World War I, and their names remain engraved on the structure today.
The playing field itself is named Zuppke Field, honoring longtime head coach Robert Zuppke, and a 12-foot bronze statue of Illinois legend Red Grange has stood outside the stadium since 2009. A bell from the battleship USS Illinois (BB-65) also rings out each time the Illini score at home.
Capacity, Renovations, and the Gies Renaming
Seating capacity has shifted considerably over the stadium’s history — from about 55,524 in the 1920s up to a peak of 71,227 between 1964 and 1982 — and has held at today’s 60,670 since a 2011 renovation.
The playing surface evolved from natural grass (1923–1974) through AstroTurf and AstroPlay before settling on FieldTurf in 2008, the same year the university completed the $100 million “Illinois Renaissance” project that modernized seating, concourses, and premium areas. Additional upgrades followed in 2013 with new video boards and sound systems.
In September 2025, university trustees renamed the venue Gies Memorial Stadium after a $100 million gift from alumnus Larry Gies, given in memory of his father, Larry Gies Sr., a U.S. Army veteran. It’s the largest athletics donation in school history, and the new name was chosen specifically to preserve, not replace, the stadium’s memorial identity.
Planning a Visit
Gies Memorial Stadium hosts Illinois Fighting Illini home football games each fall, along with occasional other campus and community events. General parking is available in surrounding campus lots, with additional reserved and premium lots tied to specific ticket packages — expect lots to open several hours before kickoff on gamedays and to fill up close to campus, so plan for a walk or shuttle from outer lots if you arrive late.
Ticket prices vary by opponent and seating tier, from general admission up through premium club and suite seating. For current gameday hours, parking maps, bag policy, and ticket purchases, check the official Gies Memorial Stadium page on fightingillini.com, which is also the authoritative source for any schedule or policy changes.
Gies Memorial Stadium FAQs
Where exactly is Memorial Stadium in Champaign?
It’s at 1402 South First Street, Champaign, IL 61820, on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, next to the State Farm Center and Smith Football Performance Center.
Who plays at Memorial Stadium / Gies Memorial Stadium?
The Illinois Fighting Illini football team of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a member of the Big Ten Conference.
Why is it called a ‘memorial’ stadium?
It was built and dedicated in the 1920s as a memorial to University of Illinois students and alumni who died in World War I, with their names inscribed on nearly 200 exterior columns.
When was the stadium renamed Gies Memorial Stadium?
University of Illinois trustees approved the renaming in September 2025 following a $100 million donation from alumnus Larry Gies, made in memory of his father, an Army veteran.
What is the seating capacity of Gies Memorial Stadium?
60,670, a capacity that has held steady since a 2011 renovation, though the stadium has seated as many as 71,227 in past decades.
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