With the NFL season underway, teams have a singular goal on the field: Super Bowl glory. In the front office, however, several franchises have another campaign in mind as well: renovating existing stadiums or building entirely new homes. Though some projects are still in the aspirational phase, others have boots on the ground and girders in place.
Here are five NFL franchises that have moved the chains on new stadium plans.
Washington Commanders
Cost: $3.8 billion
Capacity: 65,000 seats
Projected opening: 2030
The Washington Commanders reached a significant milestone in their quest to return to the site of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium as the Washington, D.C., City Council gave final approval to the project on Sept. 17, according to a statement from the franchise. The project will cost $3.8 billion, per CBS Sports.
The stadium, which received an initial approval in April, will seat approximately 65,000. The Commanders, who currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, will inject at least $2.7 billion into the project.
The new stadium will feature a roof, and the Commanders will develop the land around the stadium for housing and retail projects. The existing stadium — originally built in 1961, with the franchise playing its last game there in 1996 — is being demolished. Work is nearly complete to bring the historic structure down, according to Fox 5 DC.
Officials expect to break ground on the new stadium in 2026, and to open in 2030.
Cleveland Browns
Cost: $2.4 billion
Capacity: 67,500 seats
Projected opening: 2029
The Ohio DOT issued a permit to the Cleveland Browns for the construction of a new $2.4 billion stadium on Sept. 18, according to AP News.
The stadium will be located next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in the suburb of Brook Park, Ohio, according to AP News. The stadium will be enclosed, according to a March 18 news release from the franchise, and will anchor a mixed-use development. It will be able to fit 67,500 people for games, but configured to hold 75,000 for concerts, according to Cleveland.com.
The Ohio DOT originally rejected the permit on Aug. 1 because of concerns regarding the stadium’s height, AP News reported, which Haslem Sports Group, a company founded by the Browns’ ownership, appealed. The transportation department eventually waived the height restriction.
Overall, the Browns will pay $1.2 billion for construction and will receive $600 million from the state, and the franchise hopes to fill the gap after discussions with Brook Park officials, per AP News. The team aims to break ground next year, and open the stadium in 2029.
Tennessee Titans
Cost: $2.1 billion
Capacity: 60,000 seats
Projected opening: 2027
The Tennessee Titans have reached the halfway point on the construction of New Nissan Stadium, AP News reported on Sept. 9. The Tennessee Builders’ Alliance, a JV of Turner Construction, AECOM Hunt, Polk & Associates Construction and ICF Builders & Consultants, broke ground on the project in Sept. 2024.
The stadium is being built with the largest commitment of public funding for an NFL stadium, with $1.2 billion combined in state and local bonds, more than half of the $2.1 billion total, per AP News.
The building has a planned capacity of approximately 60,000 and is slated to open in 2027, according to the Titans. It will also feature an enclosed roof.
In addition to Titans games, it will also be capable of hosting events such as Super Bowls, NCAA Final Four, College Football Playoffs and Wrestlemania, per the Titans.
Chicago Bears
Cost: $2 billion
Capacity: 65,000-70,000 seats
Projected Opening: 2031
The Chicago Bears have committed to moving away from the city’s historic Soldier Field and out into a forthcoming stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, with the hopes of bidding to host a Super Bowl in 2031, according to an open letter from Kevin Warren, the Bears’ president and CEO.
The cost of the stadium is projected at $2 billion, according to Chicago Construction News. Along with a surrounding mixed-use development, the total price tag may reach as high as $5 billion, the outlet reported. Warren’s letter said building the stadium will create 56,000 construction jobs.
The fixed-roof stadium will seat 65,000 to 70,000 fans and will also have direct access to Metra, the rail system that serves the six-county Chicago area, per Chicago Construction News.
The franchise sought out other sites within the city limits of Chicago but found that none were viable, according to the letter, and that Arlington Heights was the only place in Cook County that met the team’s standard. The Bears purchased 326 acres of land in the suburb in 2023 for $197 million, according to Chicago Construction News.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cost: $1.45 billion
Capacity: 70,000 seats
Projected opening: 2028
On Sept. 11, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, issued its largest permit to date for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ renovation of EverBank Stadium, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The $1.45 billion project broke ground in February via a joint venture of Barton Malow and AECOM Hunt, according to the franchise. At the time, it was one of the largest projects in the U.S. to start construction. When it’s complete, the stadium will feature a base capacity of more than 63,000 people, with the ability to expand to more than 70,000, according to the Jaguars’ website.
The Jaguars will continue to play at the stadium for the current season and next year, but will need to play elsewhere in 2027 as work wraps up. Currently, the stadium is on track to open in August 2028, per the Jaguars.
.jpg){kind=link}
