State Farm Stadium

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Lore & Background

The stadium opened in 2006 as Cardinals Stadium. Later that year in September, the University of Phoenix acquired naming rights, renaming it University of Phoenix Stadium, in what was then a 20-year agreement. It was renamed in September 2018 for insurance company State Farm, which has an 18-year naming rights deal. The stadium has been the host of the Fiesta Bowl since January 2007. It hosted two BCS National Championship games in 2007 and 2011, respectively. It hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2016, three Super Bowls (2008, 2015, and 2023), as well as the Pro Bowl in 2015. It also hosted the final game of the 2025 NFL Wild Card weekend for the Los Angeles Rams against the Minnesota Vikings due to the Southern California Wildfires going on at the time. For soccer, it was one of the stadiums for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup also the first semi-final of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Copa América Centenario in 2016 and the 2024 Copa América in 2024. For basketball, it hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2017 and 2024.

In Their Own Story

On August 4, 2006, the stadium hosted its first events, but the gridiron action began on August 12 with a 21–13 preseason victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The first regular-season game on September 10 saw the Cardinals defeat the San Francisco 49ers 34–27, marking the first time since moving to Arizona in 1988 that they played a home opener under air-conditioning. A pivotal moment arrived on October 16, 2006, when the undefeated Chicago Bears overcame a 20-point deficit to win. The stadium has since witnessed historic highs: the New York Giants' upset of the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (2008), the Cardinals' first playoff game since 1947 against Atlanta in 2009, and Kansas City's 38–35 victory over Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII (2023). In January 2025, it hosted a wild card game between the Rams and Vikings after wildfires forced the NFL to move the event from Southern California.

Reader's Guide

The stadium seating capacity can be expanded by 8,800 for 'mega-events' such as college bowls, NFL Super Bowls, the NFC Championship Game, and the Final Four by adding risers and ganged, portable 'X-frame' folding seats. The end zone area on the side of the facility where the field tray rolls in and out of the facility can be expanded to accommodate an additional tier of seating which slopes down from the scoreboard level. The roof is made out of translucent Birdair fabric and opens in 12 minutes. It is the first retractable roof ever built on an incline. In 2024, the Cardinals announced renovations to add two luxury clubs to both endzones: Casitas Garden Club on the South end and Morgan Athletic Club on the North end. New tunnel seats and field seats will also be added.

Did You Know?

• The stadium opened in 2006 as Cardinals Stadium before being renamed University of Phoenix Stadium later that year.
• It hosted the final game of the 2025 NFL Wild Card weekend due to the Southern California Wildfires.
• The stadium's retractable roof is the first ever built on an incline.
• The 25 acres surrounding the stadium is called Sportsman's Park, the same name as the Cardinals' former venue in St. Louis.

Origins and Architectural Innovation

The project began after the Cardinals expressed frustration with their tenancy at Sun Devil Stadium during the 1990s savings and loan crisis. By 2002, Glendale emerged as the top choice over Mesa due to infrastructure commitments. The resulting 63,400-seat venue opened in August 2006 as an architectural icon named by Business Week for its engineering. Construction costs totaled $455 million, split between stadium build-out ($395.4M), site improvements ($41.7M), and land acquisition ($17.8M).

A Hub for Prestigious Sporting Events

Since hosting the first Fiesta Bowl on January 1, 2007 (Boise State 43–42 Oklahoma), the stadium has been a cornerstone of college football. It hosted BCS National Championship games in 2007 and 2011, setting an attendance record of 78,603 for the Auburn-Oregon game. It also held the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2016 (Alabama vs. Clemson) and the 2022 Fiesta Bowl semifinal (TCU vs. Michigan). Beyond football, it hosted three Super Bowls: XLII (2008), XLIX (2015), and LVII (2023), plus the 2015 Pro Bowl. Soccer history includes the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2019 semi-final, Copa América Centenario in 2016, and the 2024 Copa América. Basketball fans remember the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2017 and 2024.

Facility Features and Surrounding Complex

The stadium is embedded within a 25-acre Sportsman's Park complex, named after the venue where the Cardinals played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1965. The site includes an 8-acre landscaped Great Lawn for tailgating. Inside, LED video and ribbon displays by Daktronics were installed prior to the 2006 season. The air-conditioning system is a critical feature, enabling year-round comfort in the Arizona heat. For large events, the end zone where the field tray rolls out can expand with an additional tier of seating sloping from the scoreboard level. In 2024, two new luxury clubs were added: Casitas Garden Club (South) and Morgan Athletic Club (North).

Naming Rights and Historical Significance

The venue opened as Cardinals Stadium in August 2006 but was renamed University of Phoenix Stadium in September 2006 following a 20-year deal. In September 2018, it became State Farm Stadium under an 18-year agreement with the insurance giant. The stadium has hosted significant non-sporting events, including the memorial service for Charlie Kirk following his assassination in 2025. It also demonstrated logistical importance during the January 2025 Southern California wildfires by hosting a critical NFL Wild Card game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings that was originally scheduled for SoFi Stadium.