Paycor Stadium sits on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, serving as the home of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. Opened on August 19, 2000, the outdoor stadium was originally named Paul Brown Stadium in honor of the Bengals’ legendary founder, and it’s still the same building many longtime fans and out-of-towners refer to by that name.
In August 2022, Cincinnati-based payroll company Paycor HCM Inc. secured a 16-year naming rights agreement, giving the venue its current name. Designed by architectural firm NBBJ under lead architect Dan Meis, the stadium’s open-corner layout offers sweeping views of the Cincinnati skyline and river — and it earned the first-ever AIA design award given to an NFL facility. Fans and the team alike call it ‘The Jungle,’ a nod to the Bengals’ tiger theme and the raucous home-field atmosphere. This guide covers everything from capacity and seating to parking, gates, the bag policy, and how to buy tickets.
Quick Answer
Paycor Stadium holds 65,515 fans at listed capacity, located at 1 Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH 45202 on the downtown riverfront. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, tailgating is permitted in Bengals-controlled lots starting four hours before kickoff, and one clear bag (12″x6″x12″ or smaller) per person is allowed inside.
Paycor Stadium Capacity and Seating Breakdown
Paycor Stadium’s listed capacity of 65,515 seats ranks it among the smallest stadiums in the NFL, well below the league’s largest venues, which can top 80,000. That figure includes 114 private suites and roughly 7,600 club seats spread across the lower, club, and upper seating levels, giving the bowl a compact, steep feel that amplifies crowd noise.
Capacity can flex slightly for special events — concerts and the annual Cincinnati Music Festival sometimes use a modified floor configuration — but 65,515 is the number used for Bengals games and the one Hamilton County and the team cite in official stadium documents. Under the stadium’s new 2025 lease agreement, that overall capacity is expected to stay roughly the same even as individual seats and sections are replaced during the coming renovation.
Seating Chart: Levels, Sidelines, and Best Seats
The bowl is split into three main tiers: a lower level closest to the field, a club level with the 114 suites and roughly 7,600 club seats, and an upper level that still sits relatively close to the action thanks to the stadium’s compact footprint. Sideline sections between the 20-yard lines on the lower level are the most sought-after for sightlines, while the open north and south corners give fans in those sections a view of the Cincinnati skyline and the Ohio River alongside the game.
End zone seats tend to be the most affordable and are typically where the loudest supporters’ sections gather, adding to The Jungle’s reputation for crowd noise. Because exact section and row layouts vary by event and are subject to change during the 2025-2027 renovation, check the interactive seating chart on the team’s ticketing partner when buying seats for a specific game.
Getting to Paycor Stadium: Address, Parking & Rideshare
Paycor Stadium’s address is 1 Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH 45202, on the downtown riverfront within walking distance of most of the city’s core hotels and the Banks entertainment district. Parking is split between Bengals-operated garages — CRG Premium, West, Mid, and East — which typically open six hours before kickoff, and surface lots (including Lot 1U, A, B, D, E, and the Hilltop lots) that open four hours before kickoff; most game-day parking is sold in advance through the team’s ticketing partner rather than paid at the gate.
Rideshare pickup and drop-off is designated on 2nd Street between Vine and Walnut. Fans coming from Northern Kentucky can use TANK’s Southbank Shuttle, which runs along the Covington and Newport riverfronts on gamedays for a small fare with frequent service. For the current lot map, pricing, and shuttle schedule, check the official Bengals parking and directions page.
Gates, Bag Policy & Tailgating
Paycor Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff for most fans; Fifth Third Bank Bengals Checking cardholders get early entry — 120 minutes before kickoff — through the Fifth Third Southeast Gate. Following NFL-wide security guidance, only one bag per person is allowed inside, and it must be a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″x6″x12″, a one-gallon clear resealable freezer bag, or a small clutch purse under 4.5″x6.5″. Backpacks, coolers, and non-clear bags are not permitted and cannot be left at the gate, so plan to leave them in your vehicle.
Tailgating is a longstanding Jungle tradition, permitted in Bengals-controlled surface lots (including Lot 1, 1U, A, B, D, E, Hilltop, Hilltop North, and the Broadway Lot), which open four hours before kickoff and close two hours after the final whistle. Open flames are prohibited inside parking garage structures. For the complete, current list of prohibited items and any policy updates, see the official Bengals fan guide.
How to Buy Tickets for Paycor Stadium
Bengals tickets are sold primarily through the team’s official ticketing partner, linked from bengals.com, with pricing that varies significantly by opponent, day of week, and how close to kickoff you buy — divisional and primetime games against high-profile opponents typically command the highest prices. Season ticket members and the team’s official resale marketplace are the other primary channels for game-day seats, while general secondary marketplaces also list tickets for most home games.
For concerts and non-NFL events at Paycor Stadium, tickets are typically handled through the promoter’s chosen platform, which is usually linked from the event listing on the stadium’s own event page. Always confirm you’re buying through a verified or official-partner link, since capacity, seating charts, and pricing tiers can shift closer to an event. Check the official Bengals tickets page for the current schedule and pricing.
From Paul Brown Stadium to Paycor Stadium: The Naming History
Before it was Paycor Stadium, the building operated for more than two decades as Paul Brown Stadium, named for Paul Brown — the Bengals’ founder, first head coach, and a Pro Football Hall of Famer who also helped shape the modern NFL through innovations like the facemask and playbook. The stadium opened under that name on August 19, 2000, replacing Riverfront Stadium as the Bengals’ home.
The name changed on August 9, 2022, when Cincinnati-based payroll and HR software company Paycor HCM Inc. signed a 16-year naming rights deal with the team, an expansion of an existing sponsorship. It’s the same field, the same architecture, and the same address on the Ohio River — only the sign out front is different, which is why ‘Paul Brown Stadium’ still shows up in searches and casual conversation today.
Design and Architecture
NBBJ’s design for Paycor Stadium prioritized the spectator experience while anchoring the venue visually to its riverfront setting. The stadium’s open corners — an intentional architectural choice — allow natural light and Cincinnati’s skyline to become part of the backdrop on game days, and helped the building win the first AIA design award ever given to an NFL stadium. It’s also the only NFL stadium to appear on Harris Interactive’s survey of America’s favorite buildings and structures.
Original construction cost approximately $455 million, with the bulk of the funding coming from a Hamilton County sales tax that also financed the adjacent Great American Ball Park for the Reds. The stadium sits on about 22 acres and, in addition to the football bowl, houses the Bengals’ administrative offices, locker rooms, and practice facilities.
The Playing Field and Turf
The Cincinnati Bengals’ field has changed surfaces several times since 2000. The stadium opened with natural Kentucky bluegrass, which struggled with Ohio’s weather and heavy stadium use, before switching to synthetic FieldTurf in 2004, then Act Global turf in 2012, and Shaw Sports Momentum Pro in 2018.
In February 2024, the Bengals announced a return to FieldTurf, installing the newer FieldTurf CORE system ahead of the season — a move cited as a player-safety upgrade and one that made Cincinnati the eighth NFL franchise to adopt that specific turf model. The field itself sits inside the open-corner bowl that gives Paycor Stadium its distinctive indoor-outdoor feel.
The 2025 Lease and $470 Million Renovation
In 2025, the Bengals and Hamilton County finalized a new lease keeping the team at Paycor Stadium through June 2036, with options that could extend the deal to 2046 — resolving years of uncertainty over whether the team might leave downtown Cincinnati. The agreement pairs with a roughly $470 million renovation plan, with the county covering about $350 million and the Bengals contributing $120 million.
The renovation work is scheduled to roll out in phases from 2025 through 2027, starting with suite and club-lounge upgrades, new escalators, and improved concessions, followed by the replacement of general-admission seating and elevator work. Overall capacity is expected to remain close to 65,515 once the project wraps.
Memorable Moments at the Jungle
Paycor Stadium’s biggest NFL highlight came during the 2021 season, when the Bengals — led by quarterback Joe Burrow — made a surprising Super Bowl run, eventually falling to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. The playoff run generated some of the loudest crowds in the stadium’s history, cementing its reputation as one of the louder outdoor venues in the league.
Beyond football, the venue has hosted major concerts including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Garth Brooks, and Guns N’ Roses — fitting for a stadium nicknamed after one of the band’s most famous songs. The Cincinnati Music Festival, an annual celebration of R&B, soul, and hip-hop, is also a regular fixture on the stadium’s non-NFL calendar.
Paycor Stadium fan and visitor guide FAQs
What is the seating capacity of Paycor Stadium?
Paycor Stadium holds 65,515 people at listed capacity for Bengals games, one of the smaller footprints in the NFL. The record single-game attendance is 67,260, set September 29, 2022, against the Miami Dolphins.
What is Paycor Stadium’s bag policy?
Fans may bring one bag per person: a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″x6″x12″, a one-gallon clear resealable freezer bag, or a small clutch purse under 4.5″x6.5″. Backpacks and non-clear bags are not allowed and cannot be checked at the gate.
What time do gates open at Paycor Stadium?
Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff for most fans. Fifth Third Bank Bengals Checking cardholders can enter 120 minutes before kickoff through the Fifth Third Southeast Gate.
Where do you park at Paycor Stadium?
Bengals-operated garages (CRG Premium, West, Mid, and East) open six hours before kickoff, while surface lots such as Lot A, B, D, E, and the Hilltop lots open four hours before kickoff. Most spots are sold in advance through the team’s ticketing partner rather than paid at the gate.
Is tailgating allowed at Paycor Stadium?
Yes. Tailgating is permitted in Bengals-controlled surface lots, which open four hours before kickoff and close two hours after the game ends. Open flames are prohibited inside parking garage structures.
Why is Paycor Stadium called ‘The Jungle’?
The nickname reflects the Bengals’ tiger theme and the stadium’s famously loud, raucous home-field atmosphere, especially in the lower-bowl end zone sections where the team’s most vocal supporters gather.
Is Paycor Stadium the same building as Paul Brown Stadium?
Yes. It’s the same stadium that opened in 2000 as Paul Brown Stadium; only the name changed when Paycor HCM signed a 16-year naming rights deal in August 2022.
How do I get to Paycor Stadium without a car?
The stadium is walkable from most downtown Cincinnati hotels. Rideshare pickup/drop-off is on 2nd Street between Vine and Walnut, and fans from Northern Kentucky can use TANK’s Southbank Shuttle on gamedays.
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