Stanford Stadium sits on the Stanford University campus in Stanford, California, and has served as the home of Stanford Cardinal football since it opened on November 19, 1921, with a Big Game victory by rival California. The original horseshoe-shaped stadium was a massive concrete bowl that grew to seat roughly 89,000 fans and hosted some of college and professional football’s biggest moments, including Super Bowl XIX in January 1985, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins.
In an ambitious offseason project, the university demolished the aging stadium after the 2005 season and rebuilt it from the ground up in time for the 2006 opener, trading the old running track and sprawling upper deck for a tighter, more intimate 50,000-seat bowl. The rebuilt venue reopened on September 16, 2006, and has since also hosted the Earthquakes’ annual California Clasico rivalry match against the LA Galaxy and Stanford softball games.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Stanford Cardinal (football, since 1921)
- Location: Stanford, California
- Opened: November 19, 1921 (original); September 16, 2006 (rebuilt)
- Capacity: about 50,424
- Notable fact: Hosted Super Bowl XIX (1985) and 1984 Olympics soccer matches
From an 89,000-Seat Bowl to a Modern Rebuild
The original Stanford Stadium was an enormous horseshoe of concrete, built in just four months for the 1921 season and later expanded to hold close to 89,000 spectators. Over the decades it hosted the Stanford-Cal Big Game, Super Bowl XIX, and soccer during both the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1994 and 1999 FIFA World Cups.
By the early 2000s the stadium’s age and oversized capacity no longer matched the program’s needs, so Stanford tore the entire structure down after the 2005 season and rebuilt it in under a year. The new stadium removed the old track, brought seating much closer to the field, and reopened for the 2006 season at roughly 50,000 seats, later settling at a listed capacity of about 50,424.
A Multi-Purpose Bay Area Venue
Beyond Cardinal football, the rebuilt stadium has periodically hosted the San Jose Earthquakes’ California Clasico rivalry match against the LA Galaxy, drawing crowds far larger than the Earthquakes’ regular MLS stadium can hold. It also served as the temporary home field for Stanford softball during the 2025 season while the team’s usual venue, Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, underwent a major renovation. Its compact, sightline-friendly bowl has made it a flexible venue for concerts and other large events on campus as well.
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Stanford Stadium FAQs
How many people does Stanford Stadium hold?
The current stadium’s listed capacity is about 50,424, down from the original stadium’s roughly 89,000 seats before the 2006 rebuild.
When did Stanford Stadium open?
The original stadium opened on November 19, 1921. It was demolished and rebuilt, reopening on September 16, 2006.
Did Stanford Stadium host a Super Bowl?
Yes, it hosted Super Bowl XIX in January 1985, when the San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins 38-16.
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Photo: NASA World Wind / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.