# Soldier Field

Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears from the National Football League (NFL) since 1971, as well as Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 1998 to 2006 and since 2020. It also regularly hosts stadium concerts and other large crowd events. The stadium has a football capacity of 62,500, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. Soldier Field is also the oldest stadium established in the NFL and 3rd oldest in MLS.
The stadium's interior was rebuilt as part of a major renovation project in 2002, which modernized the facility but lowered its seating capacity, eventually causing it to be delisted as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Soldier Field has served as the home venue for a number of other sports teams in its history, including the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL and University of Notre Dame football. It hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, and multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup championships. In 1968, it hosted the inaugural World Games of the Special Olympics, as well as its second World Games in 1970. Other historic events have included large rallies with speeches, including by Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr.

## History

On December 3, 1919, Chicago-based architectural firm Holabird & Roche was chosen to design the stadium, which broke ground on August 11, 1922. The stadium cost $13 million to construct (equivalent to $240 million in 2024), a large sum for a sporting venue at that time (in comparison, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had cost less than US$1 million in 1923 dollars). On October 9, 1924, the 53rd anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the stadium was officially dedicated as "Grant Park Stadium", although it had hosted a few events before then, including a field day for Chicago police officers on September 6, and the stadium's first football game, between Louisville Male High School and Austin Community Academy High School, on October 4. On November 22, the stadium hosted its first college football game, in which Notre Dame defeated Northwestern University 13–6.
On November 11, 1925, the stadium's name was changed to Soldier Field, in dedication to U.S. soldiers who had died in combat during World War I. Its formal rededication as Soldier Field was held during the 29th annual playing of the Army–Navy Game on November 27, 1926. Several months earlier, in June 1926, the stadium hosted several events during the 28th International Eucharistic Congress, the first held in the United States. During the Century of Progress World's Fair in 1933, it served as the main stage.
The stadium's design is in the Neoclassical style, with Doric columns rising above the East and West entrances. In its earliest configuration, Soldier Field was capable of seating 74,280 spectators, and was in the shape of a U. Additional seating could be added along the interior field, upper promenades, and on the large, open field and terrace beyond the north endzone, bringing the seating capacity to over 100,000.

### Chicago Bears move in

Before they moved into the stadium, the Chicago Bears had played select charity games at Soldier Field as early as 1926, when they played their former crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cardinals. The Cardinals also used the stadium as their home field for their final season in the city in 1959.
In 1971, the Bears moved into Soldier Field full-time, originally with a three-year commitment. The team previously played home games at Wrigley Field, the home stadium of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB), but were forced to move to a larger venue due to post-AFL–NFL merger policies requiring that stadium capacities seat at least 50,000 spectators as well as lighting for potential night games. The Bears had initially intended to build a stadium in Arlington Heights, but the property did not fit the league's specifications.
On September 19, 1971, the Bears played their first home game at Soldier Field, in which they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 17–15. In 1978, the Bears and the Chicago Park District agreed to a 20-year lease and renovation of the stadium; both parties pooled their resources for the renovation. The playing surface was AstroTurf from 1971 until 1987, and was replaced with natural grass in 1988. On February 27, 1987, Soldier Field was designated a National Historic Landmark.

### Replacement talks

In 1989, Soldier Field's future was in jeopardy after a proposal was created for a "McDome", which was intended to be a domed stadium for the Bears, but was rejected by the Illinois Legislature in 1990. Because of this, Bears president Michael McCaskey considered relocation as a possible factor for a new stadium. The Bears had also purchased options in Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village and Aurora. In 1995, McCaskey announced that he and Northwest Indiana developers agreed to construction of an entertainment complex called "Planet Park", which would also include a new stadium. However, the plan was rejected by the Lake County Council, and in 1998, then-Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley proposed that the Bears share Comiskey Park with the Chicago White Sox.

### Renovations

Beginning in 1978, the plank seating was replaced by individual seats with backs and armrests. In 1982, a new press box, as well as 60 skyboxes, were added to the stadium, boosting its capacity to 66,030. In 1988, 56 more skyboxes were added, increasing capacity to 66,946. Capacity was slightly increased to 66,950 in 1992. By 1994, however, capacity was slightly reduced to 66,944. During the renovation, seating capacity was reduced to 55,701 by building a grandstand in the open end of the U shape. This moved the field closer to both ends in order to move the fans closer to the field, at the expense of seating capacity. The front row 50-yard line seats were only 55 feet (17 m) away from the sidelines, the shortest distance of all NFL stadiums until MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 with a distance of 46 feet (14 m).

#### 2002–03 renovation and landmark delisting

In 2001, the Chicago Park District, which owns the structure, faced substantial criticism when it announced plans to alter the stadium with a design by Benjamin T. Wood and Carlos Zapata of Wood + Zapata in Boston. The stadium grounds were reconfigured by local architecture firm Lohan Associate, led by architect Dirk Lohan, grandson of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The stadium's interior would be demolished and reconstructed while the exterior would be preserved in an example of facadism. A similar endeavor of constructing a new stadium within the confines of a historic stadium's exterior was done with Leipzig's Red Bull Arena, which similarly built a modern stadium while preserving the exterior of the original Zentralstadion. Fans and radio hosts, such as WSCR's Mike North, criticized the small seating capacity of the new venue, and others have criticized the Park District's lack of care to the field surface after the first seasonal freeze and a refusal to consider a new-generation artificial surface, leaving the Bears to play on dead grass.
On January 19, 2002, the night of the Bears' playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, demolition began as tailgate fires still burned in trash cans in the parking lots. The removal of 24,000 stadium seats in 36 hours by Archer Seating Clearinghouse, a speed record never exceeded since, was the first step in building the new Soldier Field. Nostalgic Bears fans recalling the team's glory seasons (especially 1985), as well as some retired players, picked up their seats in the South parking lot. The foremen on the job were Grant Wedding, who installed the seats himself in 1979, and Mark Wretschko, an executive for the factory who made the new seats. As Soldier Field underwent renovation, the Bears spent the 2002 NFL season playing their home games at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois. On September 29, 2003, the Bears played their first game at the renovated Soldier Field, in which they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers, 38–23. The total funding for the renovation cost $632 million; taxpayers were responsible for $432 million while the Chicago Bears and the NFL contributed $200 million.
Several writers and columnists attacked the Soldier Field renovation project as an aesthetic, political and financial nightmare. The project received mixed reviews within the architecture community, with criticism from civic and preservation groups. Prominent architect and native Chicagoan Stanley Tigerman called it "a fiasco. Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin dubbed it the "Eyesore on the Lake Shore," while others called it "Monstrosity on the Midway" or "Mistake by the Lake". The renovation was described by some as if "a spaceship landed on the stadium". Lohan responded:
   I would never say that Soldier Field is an architectural landmark. Nobody has copied it; nobody has learned from it. People like it for nostalgic reasons. They remember the games and parades and tractor pulls and veterans' affairs they've seen there over the years. I wouldn't do this if it were the Parthenon. But this isn't the Parthenon.
Proponents of the renovation argued it was badly needed because of aging and cramped facilities. The New York Times named the renovated Soldier Field one of the five best new buildings of 2003. Soldier Field was given an award in design excellence by the American Institute of Architects in 2004.
On September 23, 2004, as a result of the renovation, a 10-member federal advisory committee unanimously recommended that Soldier Field be delisted as a National Historic Landmark. The recommendation to delist was prepared by Carol Ahlgren, an architectural historian at the National Park Service's Midwest Regional Office in Omaha, Nebraska, who was quoted in Preservation Online stating, "if we had let this stand, I believe it would have lowered the standard of National Historic Landmarks throughout the country. ... If we want to keep the integrity of the program, let alone the landmarks, we really had no other recourse." The stadium lost the landmark designation on February 17, 2006.

### Subsequent developments

In May 2012, Soldier Field became the first NFL stadium to achieve LEED status, a program intended to award environmentally sustainable buildings.
On July 9, 2019, the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer (MLS) announced an agreement with the Village of Bridgeview to release the team from their lease with SeatGeek Stadium, where they had played since 2006. As a result, the Fire returned to Soldier Field for the 2020 MLS season.
On June 17, 2021, the Chicago Bears submitted a bid for the Arlington Park Racetrack property, making a move from Soldier Field to a new venue more possible. On September 29, the Bears and Churchill Downs Incorporated announced that they had reached an agreement for the property.
On September 5, 2022, the Kentucky bluegrass was replaced with Bermuda grass after poor field conditions were noted in an August 13 preseason game.

## Public transportation

The closest Chicago 'L' station to Soldier Field is the Roosevelt station on the Orange, Green and Red lines. The Chicago Transit Authority also operates the #128 Soldier Field Express bus route to the stadium from Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station. There are also two Metra stations close by: the Museum Campus/11th Street station on the Metra Electric Line, which also is used by South Shore Line trains, and 18th Street, which is only served by the Metra Electric Line. Pace also provides access from the Northwest, West and Southwest suburbs to the stadium with four express routes from Schaumburg, Lombard, Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Palos Heights and Oak Lawn.

## Facility contracts

The pouring rights of non-alcoholic beverages at Soldier Field were held by The Coca-Cola Company from at least 1992 until 2012, when the Bears signed a contract with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (later Keurig Dr Pepper), making it the only stadium in the NFL then (with Cleveland Browns Stadium striking a similar deal in 2018) to have such rights held by the company. With the 2003 renovation, the Bears gained power in striking sponsorship deals at Soldier Field; the Miller Brewing Company was given the pouring rights of alcoholic beverages, while Delaware North Sportservice was named the food and beverage service provider. Aramark took over service operations at the stadium when the latter contract expired in 2013.

## Events
### American football
#### Single events

* The stadium hosted its first football game on October 4, 1924, between Louisville Male High School and Chicago's Austin Community Academy High School; Louisville's team won 26–0.
* Over 100,000 spectators attended the 1926 Army–Navy Game. It would decide the national championship, as Navy entered undefeated and Army had lost only to Notre Dame. The game lived up to its hype, and even though it ended in a 21–21 tie, Navy was awarded the national championship.
* The all-time collegiate attendance record of 123,000+ was established November 26, 1927, as Notre Dame beat the USC Trojans 7–6. Subsequently, in 2016, 150,000+ attended a game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Tennessee Volunteers at Bristol Speedway.
* Austin defeated Leo to win the 1937 Chicago Prep Bowl; another contender for the highest attendance ever (estimated at over 120,000 spectators). The Chicago Prep Bowl games are held at Soldier Field yearly on the day after Thanksgiving. The bowl game is older than the IHSA state championship tournament held since the 1960s.
* The stadium was host to 41 College All-Star Games, an exhibition between the previous year's NFL champion (or, in its final years, Super Bowl champion) and a team of collegiate all-star players prior to their reporting to their new professional teams training camps. This game was discontinued after the 1976 NFL season. The final game in 1976 was halted in the third quarter when a torrential thunderstorm broke out and play was never resumed.
* The University of Notre Dame has hosted two games at Soldier Field, as part of their Shamrock Series. The first was in 2012, against the University of Miami, with another, against the University of Wisconsin-Madison, following in 2021.

#### NFL playoffs

   * 1985 NFC Divisional Playoff: New York Giants 0, Chicago Bears 21. The last home playoff game was in 1963, when the team played in Wrigley Field.
   * 1985 NFC Championship Game: Los Angeles Rams 0, Chicago Bears 24. This was the first NFC Championship held here.
   * 1986 NFC Divisional Playoff: Washington 27, Chicago Bears 13.
   * 1987 NFC Divisional Playoff: Washington 21, Chicago 17.
   * 1988 NFC Divisional Playoff: Philadelphia Eagles 12, Chicago Bears 20. This game is best remembered as the Fog Bowl, where a dense fog covered the stadium, reducing visibility to 15–20 yards.
   * 1988 NFC Championship Game San Francisco 49ers 28, Bears 3. The 49ers would then go on to win Super Bowl XXIII.
   * 1990 NFC Wild Card: New Orleans Saints 6, Chicago Bears 16.
   * 1991 NFC Wild Card: Dallas Cowboys 17, Chicago Bears 13.
   * 2001 NFC Divisional Playoff: Philadelphia Eagles 33, Chicago Bears 19. This was also the last home game before the renovations took place in 2002.
   * 2005 NFC Divisional Playoff: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21. First playoff game post-renovations.
   * 2006 NFC Divisional Playoff: Seattle Seahawks 24, Chicago Bears 27 (OT).
   * 2006 NFC Championship Game: New Orleans Saints 14, Bears 39. Granted the team their second trip to the Super Bowl (their first in 21 years), where they lost to the Colts 29-17 in a rainy Miami.
   * 2010 NFC Divisional Playoff: Seattle Seahawks 24, Chicago Bears 35.
   * 2010 NFC Championship Game: Green Bay Packers 21, Bears 14. The Bears were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl XLV champions.
   * 2018 NFC Wild Card: Philadelphia Eagles 16, Chicago Bears 15. This game is known for its "Double Doink" field goal.

#### College football

Northern Illinois Huskies play select games at Soldier Field, all of which have featured them hosting a team from the Big Ten Conference. Northern Illinois University (NIU) is located in DeKalb, 65 miles (105 km) to the west on Interstate 88.
* On September 1, 2007, NIU faced the University of Iowa in the first Division I College Football game at Soldier Field since the 2002 renovations. The Hawkeyes defeated the Huskies 16–3.
* On September 17, 2011, the Huskies returned to play the Wisconsin Badgers in a game that was called "Soldier Field Showdown II". The eventual Big Ten champion Badgers topped NIU 49–7.
* On September 1, 2012, NIU hosted the Iowa Hawkeyes in a season opener that was called "Soldier Field Showdown III". The Hawkeyes narrowly defeated the Huskies 18–17.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football used the stadium as home field for the 1929 season while Notre Dame Stadium was being constructed. The school has used Soldier Field for single games on occasion both prior to and since the 1929 season, and boasts an undefeated 10–0–2 record there. At Soldier Field, Notre Dame has played Northwestern four times, USC and Wisconsin twice, and Army, Drake, Great Lakes Naval Base, Navy, and Miami once each.

### Motorsport

Beginning in the 1940s and through the late-1960s (except for during World War II), motorsport races regularly were held on a short track at the stadium. In 1956 and 1957, NASCAR held races at the stadium, including a NASCAR Cup race.
In the early-to-mid 1980s saw the US Hot Rod Association host Truck and Tractor Sled Pull Competitions and Monster Truck exhibitions here. The engines on some of the vehicles would echo through the skyscrapers in downtown Chicago as they made their pull. Damage to the stadium turf on a few of the event occasion's led USHRA to move events to the Rosemont Horizon (known today as Allstate Arena).

### Ice hockey

On February 7, 2013, the stadium hosted a high school hockey game between St. Rita High School from the city's Southwest side and Fenwick High School from suburban Oak Park.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Miami RedHawks played a doubleheader on February 17, 2013, with the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Hockey City Classic, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the stadium. A Chicago Gay Hockey Association intra-squad game was held in affiliation with the Hockey City Classic.
On March 1, 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks played against the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the NHL Stadium Series. The Blackhawks defeated the Penguins 5–1 before a sold-out crowd of 62,921. The team also held its 2015 Stanley Cup Championship celebration at the stadium instead of Grant Park, where other city championships have typically been held, due to recent rains.
On February 7, 2015, Soldier Field hosted another edition of the Hockey City Classic. The event had been delayed due to unusually warm weather (42 °F (6 °C)) and complications with the quality of the ice. The 2015 edition of the Hockey City Classic featured a match between Miami University and Western Michigan, followed by a match between the Big Ten's Michigan and Michigan State On February 5, the organizers of the Hockey City Classic organized the Unite on the Ice event benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The event was centered upon a celebrity hockey game with former NHL and AHL players, as well as a public free skate at Soldier Field. Participants in the celebrity game included Éric Dazé, Jamal Mayers and Gino Cavallini. Denis Savard was in attendance, serving as an honorary coach during the game. On February 15, 2015, Soldier Field hosted another Chicago Gay Hockey Association intra-league match in association with the Hockey City Classic.
| Date | Away Team | Result | Home Team | Spectators |
| February 7, 2013 | St. Rita High School | 0–3 | Fenwick High School | unknown |
| February 17, 2013 | Miami (OH) | 1–2 | Notre Dame | 52,051 |
| February 17, 2013 | Minnesota | 2–3 | Wisconsin | 52,051 |
| March 1, 2014 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1–5 | Chicago Blackhawks | 62,921 |
| February 7, 2015 | Miami (OH) | 4–3 | Western Michigan | 22,751 |
| February 7, 2015 | Michigan State | 1–4 | Michigan | 22,751 |

### Soccer
#### 1994 FIFA World Cup

| Date | Time (CDT) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| June 17, 1994 | 2:00PM | Germany | 1–0 | Bolivia | Group C (opening match) | 63,117 |
| June 21, 1994 | 3:00PM | Germany | 1–1 | Spain | Group C | 63,113 |
| June 26, 1994 | 11:30AM | Greece | 0–4 | Bulgaria | Group D | 63,160 |
| June 27, 1994 | 3:00PM | Bolivia | 1–3 | Spain | Group C | 63,089 |
| July 2, 1994 | 11:00AM | Germany | 3–2 | Belgium | Round of 16 | 60,246 |

#### 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup

| Date | Time (CDT) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| June 24, 1999 | 17.00 | Brazil | 2–0 | Italy | Group B | 65,080 |
| June 24, 1999 | 19.00 | United States | 7–1 | Nigeria | Group A | 65,080 |
| June 26, 1999 | 16.00 | Ghana | 0–2 | Sweden | Group D | 34,256 |
| June 26, 1999 | 18.30 | Norway | 4–0 | Japan | Group C | 34,256 |

#### CONCACAF Gold Cups

2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| 21 June 2007 | Canada | 1–2 | United States | Semifinals | 50,760 |
| 21 June 2007 | Mexico | 1–0 | Guadeloupe | Semifinals | 50,760 |
| June 24, 2007 | United States | 2–1 | Mexico | Final | 60,000 |
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| 23 July 2009 | Honduras | 1–2 | United States | Semifinals | 55,173 |
| 23 July 2009 | Costa Rica | 1–1 (3–5 pen) | Mexico | Semifinals | 55,173 |
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| 12 June 2011 | El Salvador | 6–1 | Cuba | Group A | 62,000 |
| 12 June 2011 | Mexico | 4–1 | Costa Rica | Group A | 62,000 |
2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| July 28, 2013 | United States | 1–0 | Panama | Final | 57,920 |
2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| July 9, 2015 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3–1 | Guatemala | Group C | 54,126 |
| July 9, 2015 | Mexico | 6–0 | Cuba | Group C | 54,126 |
2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Time (CDT) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| July 7, 2019 | 8:15 PM | Mexico | 1–0 | United States | Final | 62,493 |
2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup
| Date | Time (CDT) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| June 24, 2023 | 9:06 PM | United States | 1–1 | Jamaica | Group A | 36,666 |

#### Copa América Centenario

| Date | Time (CDT) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
| June 5, 2016 | 4:00PM | Jamaica | 0–1 | Venezuela | Group C | 25,560 |
| June 7, 2016 | 7:00PM | United States | 4–0 | Costa Rica | Group A | 39,642 |
| June 10, 2016 | 8:30PM | Argentina | 5–0 | Panama | Group D | 53,885 |
| June 22, 2016 | 7:00PM | Colombia | 0–2 | Chile | Semi-finals | 55,423 |

#### Single events

* Over 15,000 spectators attended the first leg of the 1928 National Challenge Cup (now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup) between soccer teams Bricklayers and Masons F.C. of Chicago and New York Nationals of New York City. The match ended in a 1–1 tie, and New York won the second leg 3–0 in New York City.
* Numerous Men's and Women's National Team friendly matches.
* Liverpool vs Olympiacos in the 2014 International Champions Cup with Liverpool winning 1–0.
* Manchester United vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the 2015 International Champions Cup with PSG winning 2–0.
* Bayern Munich vs. Milan in the 2016 International Champions Cup with the game resulting in a 3–3 draw and Milan winning the penalty shootout 5–3.
* Site of the 2017 MLS All-Star Game, played on August 2, 2017, between Real Madrid and a group of all-stars representing Major League Soccer.
* Manchester City vs. Borussia Dortmund in the 2018 International Champions Cup with Borussia Dortmund winning 1–0.
* Venue for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, with Mexico defeating the United States 1–0.

### Special Olympics

The first Special Olympics games were held at Soldier Field on July 20, 1968. The games involved over 1,000 people with intellectual disabilities from 26 U.S. states and Canada competing in track and field and swimming. In 1970, the second international games occurred, when Special Olympics returned to Soldier Field.

### Rugby union

On November 1, 2014, the stadium hosted its first international rugby union test match between the United States Eagles and New Zealand All Blacks as part of the 2014 end-of-year rugby union tests. Over half of the 61,500 tickets were sold within two days. The All Blacks beat the Eagles 74–6. The stadium hosted its second international rugby union match on September 5, 2015, with the United States hosting Australia as part of the 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches shortly before both teams were due to travel to England for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The Eagles were defeated 47–10. On November 5, 2016, Ireland beat New Zealand 40–29 at Soldier Field as part of the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals – the very first time Ireland had beaten the All Blacks in a test match in 111 years of play.
| Date | Winner | Score | Opponent | Attendance |
| November 1, 2014 | New Zealand | 74–6 | United States | 61,500 |
| September 5, 2015 | Australia | 47–10 | United States | 23,212 |
| November 5, 2016 | Ireland | 40–29 | New Zealand | 60,000 |
| November 3, 2018 | New Zealand Black Ferns (NZ Women's Rugby team | 67–6 | United States Women's team | 30,051 |
| November 3, 2018 | Ireland | 54–7 | Italy | 30,051 |
| November 3, 2018 | Māori All Blacks | 59–22 | United States | 30,051 |

### Concerts

| Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / concert name | Attendance / Capacity | Revenue | Notes |
| August 21, 1937 | Lily Pons Rudy Vallee Jascha Heifetz Bobby Breen | — | Chicagoland Music Festival | — | — | |
| August 15, 1964 | Johnny Cash June Carter | — | Chicagoland Music Festival | — | — | |
| August 9, 1966 | Barbra Streisand | — | An Evening with Barbra Streisand Tour | — | — | First solo headliner |
| July 18, 1970 | Performers Chicago Illinois Speed Press The Illusion Pig Iron Iggy Pop and The Stooges Dream Leon Russell MC5 Funkadelic Mason Proffit Bush Happy Day It Doesn't Matter Joe Kelley Blues Band Bloomsbury People | — | WCFL's Big Ten Summer Music Festival | — | — | |
| June 4, 1977 | Emerson, Lake & Palmer | Foghat The J. Geils Band Climax Blues Band | ELP Works | — | — | |
| June 19, 1977 | Pink Floyd | | In the Flesh Tour | 67,000 / 67,000 | $670,000 | |
| July 9, 1977 | Lynyrd Skynyrd | Point Blank | | 77,197 | — | |
| July 10, 1977 | Ted Nugent | Lynyrd Skynyrd REO Speedwagon Journey .38 Special | Super Bowl of Rock #3 | — | — | First solo male headliner |
| August 13, 1977 | Peter Frampton | Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band Rick Derringer UFO | | — | — | |
| September 24, 1977 | Chicago | — | Lincoln Park Zoo Benefit | — | — | |
| July 8, 1978 | The Rolling Stones | Journey Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes Peter Tosh | The Rolling Stones US Tour 1978 | 70,725 / 70,725 | $919,425 | |
| August 26, 1978 | Parliament-Funkadelic | The Bar-Kays Con Funk Shun A Taste of Honey | Funk Fest | — | — | |
| July 19, 1980 | Smokey Robinson | The O'Jays | | — | — | |
| August 10–18, 1983 | Performers Buddy Guy Junior Wells The Beach Boys Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble The Association The Hollies The Kind Laura Branigan | — | ChicagoFest | — | — | |
| August 9, 1985 | Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band | — | Born in the U.S.A. Tour | 71,222 / 71,222 | $1,228,500 | |
| July 31, 1987 | Madonna | Level 42 | Who's That Girl World Tour | 47,407 / 47,407 | $1,066,658 | |
| July 29, 1990 | Paul McCartney | — | The Paul McCartney World Tour | 55,630 / 55,630 | $1,807,975 | |
| June 22, 1991 | Grateful Dead | — | | — | — | |
| June 25, 1992 | Grateful Dead | Steve Miller Band | | — | — | |
| June 26, 1992 | Grateful Dead | Steve Miller Band | | — | — | |
| June 18, 1993 | Grateful Dead | Sting | | — | — | |
| June 19, 1993 | Grateful Dead | Sting | | — | — | |
| July 12, 1994 | Pink Floyd | — | The Division Bell Tour | 51,981 / 51,981 | $2,056,105 | |
| July 23, 1994 | Grateful Dead | Traffic | | — | — | |
| July 24, 1994 | Grateful Dead | Traffic | | — | — | |
| September 11, 1994 | The Rolling Stones | Lenny Kravitz | Voodoo Lounge Tour | 90,303 / 90,303 | $4,194,320 | |
| September 12, 1994 | The Rolling Stones | Lenny Kravitz | Voodoo Lounge Tour | 90,303 / 90,303 | $4,194,320 | |
| July 8, 1995 | Grateful Dead | The Band | | — | — | |
| July 9, 1995 | Grateful Dead | The Band | | — | — | Final concert by the band. |
| July 11, 1995 | Pearl Jam | Bad Religion Otis Rush | Vitalogy Tour | — | — | Played on the Grateful Dead's stage |
| September 14, 1996 | Little Feat | Taj Mahal | | — | — | |
| June 27, 1997 | U2 | Fun Lovin' Criminals | PopMart Tour | 116,912 / 127,500 | $5,956,587 | |
| June 28, 1997 | U2 | Fun Lovin' Criminals | PopMart Tour | 116,912 / 127,500 | $5,956,587 | |
| June 29, 1997 | U2 | Fun Lovin' Criminals | PopMart Tour | 116,912 / 127,500 | $5,956,587 | |
| July 18, 1997 | Performers Bad Religion Blink-182 Descendents Hed PE Jimmy 2 Times Lagwagon Latex Generation Less Than Jake Limp Bizkit The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Millencolin Murder City Devils Orange 9mm Pennywise Reel Big Fish Sick of It All Snot Social Distortion Strung Out Sugar Ray Trading Bryson Vision of Disorder White Kaps | — | Vans Warped Tour | — | — | |
| September 23, 1997 | The Rolling Stones | Blues Traveler | Bridges to Babylon Tour | 107,186 / 107,186 | $6,260,000 | |
| September 25, 1997 | The Rolling Stones | Blues Traveler | Bridges to Babylon Tour | 107,186 / 107,186 | $6,260,000 | |
| May 10, 1998 | George Strait | — | Country Music Festival Tour | — | — | |
| April 25, 1999 | George Strait | — | Country Music Festival Tour | — | — | |
| May 13, 2000 | Wilco | — | | — | — | |
| June 29, 2000 | Dave Matthews Band | Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals Ozomatli | The Summer 2000 Tour | 115,006 / 115,006 | $5,175,270 | |
| June 30, 2000 | Dave Matthews Band | Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals Ozomatli | The Summer 2000 Tour | 115,006 / 115,006 | $5,175,270 | |
| June 16, 2001 | NSYNC | BBMak 3LW Dream | PopOdyssey | 85,650 / 103,903 | $4,739,359 | |
| June 17, 2001 | NSYNC | BBMak 3LW Dream | PopOdyssey | 85,650 / 103,903 | $4,739,359 | |
| July 6, 2001 | Dave Matthews Band | Buddy Guy Angélique Kidjo | The Summer 2001 Tour | 103,675 / 103,675 | $4,834,864 | |
| July 7, 2001 | Dave Matthews Band | Buddy Guy Angélique Kidjo | The Summer 2001 Tour | 103,675 / 103,675 | $4,834,864 | |
| September 10, 2005 | The Rolling Stones | Los Lonely Boys | A Bigger Bang | 55,046 / 55,046 | $7,231,427 | |
| July 21, 2006 | Bon Jovi | Nickelback | Have a Nice Day Tour | 52,612 / 52,612 | $3,988,455 | |
| October 11, 2006 | The Rolling Stones | Elvis Costello and the Imposters | A Bigger Bang | 33,296 / 33,296 | $4,020,721 | |
| June 21, 2008 | Kenny Chesney | Keith Urban LeAnn Rimes Luke Bryan Gary Allan | The Poets and Pirates Tour | 46,463 / 48,585 | $4,063,663 | |
| October 11–12, 2008 | Performers Son Volt Cross Canadian Ragweed Gretchen Wilson Justin Townes Earle Lady Antebellum Luke Bryan Rissi Palmer Taylor Swift The Lawrence Peters Outfit Tift Merritt | — | Chicago Country Music Festival | — | — | |
| June 13, 2009 | Kenny Chesney | Lady Antebellum Miranda Lambert Montgomery Gentry Sugarland | Sun City Carnival Tour | 48,763 / 50,109 | $3,184,606 | |
| September 12, 2009 | U2 | Snow Patrol | U2 360° Tour | 135,872 / 135,872 | $13,860,480 | |
| September 13, 2009 | U2 | Snow Patrol | U2 360° Tour | 135,872 / 135,872 | $13,860,480 | |
| June 12, 2010 | Performers All Time Low Boys Like Girls Cady Groves Forever the Sickest Kids Good Charlotte Hellogoodbye LMFAO Simple Plan Third Eye Blind Drive A Great Big Planes Mercy Mercedes The Prices The Ready Set Stereo Skyline Vita Chambers | — | The Bamboozle Roadshow 2010 | — | — | Event held in parking lot |
| June 19, 2010 | Eagles | Dixie Chicks JD & the Straight Shot | Long Road Out of Eden Tour | 29,233 / 32,420 | $3,186,493 | |
| July 7, 2010 | deadmau5 | Rye Rye Brazilian Girls | | — | — | |
| July 30, 2010 | Bon Jovi | Kid Rock | The Circle Tour | 95,959 / 95,959 | $8,606,259 | |
| July 31, 2010 | Bon Jovi | Kid Rock | The Circle Tour | 95,959 / 95,959 | $8,606,259 | |
| July 5, 2011 | U2 | Interpol | U2 360° Tour | 64,297 / 64,297 | $5,786,335 | |
| August 23, 2011 | Wayne Baker Brooks | Sugar Blue | | — | — | |
| July 7, 2012 | Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw | Jake Owen Grace Potter and the Nocturnals | Brothers of the Sun Tour | 51,100 / 51,100 | $5,109,399 | |
| July 12, 2013 | Bon Jovi | The J. Geils Band | Because We Can | 45,178 / 45,178 | $4,690,204 | |
| July 22, 2013 | Jay-Z Justin Timberlake | DJ Cassidy | Legends of the Summer | 52,671 / 52,671 | $5,715,152 | |
| August 10, 2013 | Taylor Swift | Ed Sheeran Casey James Austin Mahone | The Red Tour | 50,809 / 50,809 | $4,149,148 | |
| July 24, 2014 | Beyoncé Jay-Z | — | On the Run Tour | 50,035 / 50,035 | $5,783,396 | |
| August 29, 2014 | One Direction | 5 Seconds of Summer | Where We Are Tour | 104,617 / 104,617 | $9,446,247 | During the August 29 show, the band performed a cover of "Happy Birthday" by Mildred J. Hill dedicated to Liam, and "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson. |
| August 30, 2014 | One Direction | 5 Seconds of Summer | Where We Are Tour | 104,617 / 104,617 | $9,446,247 | During the August 29 show, the band performed a cover of "Happy Birthday" by Mildred J. Hill dedicated to Liam, and "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson. |
| August 31, 2014 | Luke Bryan | Dierks Bentley Lee Brice Cole Swindell DJ Rock | That's My Kind of Night Tour | 50,529 / 50,529 | $3,754,362 | |
| June 6, 2015 | Kenny Chesney Miranda Lambert | Brantley Gilbert Chase Rice Old Dominion | The Big Revival Tour | 43,630 / 48,278 | $3,776,207 | Chesney was the main headliner, and Lambert joined as the co-headliner only for the Chicago show. |
| July 3, 2015 | Fare Thee Well | — | Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead | 210,283 / 210,283 | $30,683,274 | 50th anniversary concerts |
| July 4, 2015 | Fare Thee Well | — | Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead | 210,283 / 210,283 | $30,683,274 | 50th anniversary concerts |
| July 5, 2015 | Fare Thee Well | — | Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead | 210,283 / 210,283 | $30,683,274 | 50th anniversary concerts |
| July 18, 2015 | Taylor Swift | Vance Joy Shawn Mendes HAIM | The 1989 World Tour | 110,109 / 110,109 | $11,469,887 | Andy Grammer and Serayah were special guests. |
| July 19, 2015 | Taylor Swift | Vance Joy Shawn Mendes HAIM | The 1989 World Tour | 110,109 / 110,109 | $11,469,887 | Sam Hunt, Andreja Pejić and Lily Donaldson were special guests. |
| August 23, 2015 | One Direction | Icona Pop | On the Road Again Tour | 41,527 / 41,527 | $3,382,655 | |
| May 27, 2016 | Beyoncé | Rae Sremmurd | The Formation World Tour | 89,270 / 89,270 | $11,279,890 | |
| May 28, 2016 | Beyoncé | DJ Scratch | The Formation World Tour | 89,270 / 89,270 | $11,279,890 | |
| July 1, 2016 | Guns N' Roses | Alice in Chains | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | 82,172 / 96,088 | $8,843,684 | |
| July 3, 2016 | Guns N' Roses | Alice in Chains | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | 82,172 / 96,088 | $8,843,684 | |
| July 23, 2016 | Coldplay | Alessia Cara Foxes | A Head Full of Dreams Tour | 95,323 / 95,323 | $10,215,572 | The July 23 show was cut short due to inclement weather. |
| July 24, 2016 | Coldplay | Alessia Cara Foxes | A Head Full of Dreams Tour | 95,323 / 95,323 | $10,215,572 | |
| June 3, 2017 | U2 | The Lumineers | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | 105,078 / 105,078 | $13,435,925 | |
| June 4, 2017 | U2 | The Lumineers | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | 105,078 / 105,078 | $13,435,925 | |
| June 18, 2017 | Metallica | Avenged Sevenfold Local H Mix Master Mike | WorldWired Tour | 51,041 / 51,041 | $6,093,976 | |
| August 17, 2017 | Coldplay | AlunaGeorge Izzy Bizu | A Head Full of Dreams Tour | 52,726 / 52,726 | $6,026,402 | |
| June 1, 2018 | Taylor Swift | Camila Cabello Charli XCX | Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour | 105,208 / 105,208 | $14,576,697 | |
| June 2, 2018 | Taylor Swift | Camila Cabello Charli XCX | Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour | 105,208 / 105,208 | $14,576,697 | |
| July 28, 2018 | Kenny Chesney | Thomas Rhett Old Dominion Brandon Lay | Trip Around The Sun Tour | 52,189 / 52,189 | $5,751,195 | |
| August 10, 2018 | Beyoncé Jay-Z | Chloe X Halle and DJ Khaled | On the Run II Tour | 86,602 / 86,602 | $12,303,099 | During the second show, "Summer" was added to the setlist. "Apeshit" was also performed for the first time in its entirety with choreography and background dancers. |
| August 11, 2018 | Beyoncé Jay-Z | Chloe X Halle and DJ Khaled | On the Run II Tour | 86,602 / 86,602 | $12,303,099 | During the second show, "Summer" was added to the setlist. "Apeshit" was also performed for the first time in its entirety with choreography and background dancers. |
| October 4, 2018 | Ed Sheeran | Snow Patrol Lauv | ÷ Tour | 47,263 / 47,263 | $4,339,350 | |
| May 11, 2019 | BTS | — | Love Yourself World Tour | 88,156 / 88,156 | $13,345,795 | |
| May 12, 2019 | BTS | — | Love Yourself World Tour | 88,156 / 88,156 | $13,345,795 | |
| June 21, 2019 | The Rolling Stones | St. Paul and the Broken Bones | No Filter Tour | 98,228 / 98,228 | $21,741,564 | |
| June 25, 2019 | The Rolling Stones | Whiskey Myers | No Filter Tour | 98,228 / 98,228 | $21,741,564 | |
| August 26, 2021 | Kanye West | — | Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Experience | | | Third listening event before the release of his album Donda. |
| May 28, 2022 | Coldplay | H.E.R.Drama | Music of the Spheres World Tour | 107,072 / 107,072 | $10,969,930 | |
| May 29, 2022 | Coldplay | H.E.R.Drama | Music of the Spheres World Tour | 107,072 / 107,072 | $10,969,930 | |
| June 25, 2022 | Kenny Chesney | Florida Georgia Line Old Dominion Michael Franti & Spearhead | Here and Now Tour | 52,792 / 52,792 | $6,054,015 | |
| July 24, 2022 | The Weeknd | Kaytranada Mike Dean | After Hours til Dawn Stadium Tour | 48,887 / 48,887 | $7,961,796 | |
| August 5, 2022 | Elton John | N/A | Farewell Yellow Brick Road | 48,813 / 48,813 | $7,118,811 | |
| August 19, 2022 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | The Strokes Thundercat | 2022 Global Stadium Tour | 47,019 / 47,019 | $7,500,942 | |
| August 20, 2022 | Bad Bunny | N/A | World's Hottest Tour | 50,854 / 50,854 | $14,109,590 | |
| September 3, 2022 | Rammstein | Duo Abélard | Rammstein Stadium Tour | 47,263 / 48,000 | $9,051,337 | |
| June 2, 2023 | Taylor Swift | Girl in Red Owenn | The Eras Tour | | | First female act in history to sell out three shows on a single tour. |
| June 3, 2023 | Taylor Swift | Girl in Red Owenn | The Eras Tour | | | First female act in history to sell out three shows on a single tour. |
| June 4, 2023 | Taylor Swift | Muna Gracie Abrams | The Eras Tour | | | First female act in history to sell out three shows on a single tour. |
| July 22, 2023 | Beyoncé | | Renaissance World Tour | 97,686 / 97,686 | $30,115,863 | |
| July 23, 2023 | Beyoncé | | Renaissance World Tour | 97,686 / 97,686 | $30,115,863 | |
| July 29, 2023 | Ed Sheeran | Khalid Cat Burns | +-=÷× Tour | 73,015 / 73,015 | $8,054,888 | |
| September 15, 2023 | Karol G | Agudelo Young Miko | Mañana Será Bonito Tour | 52,505 / 52,505 | | |
| June 15, 2024 | Kenny Chesney Zac Brown Band | Megan Moroney Uncle Kracker | Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour | | | |
| June 27, 2024 | The Rolling Stones | Bettye LaVette | Hackney Diamonds Tour | | | |
| June 30, 2024 | The Rolling Stones | Lainey Wilson | Hackney Diamonds Tour | | | |
| August 9, 2024 | Metallica | Pantera Mammoth WVH | M72 World Tour | | | |
| August 11, 2024 | Metallica | Five Finger Death Punch Ice Nine Kills | M72 World Tour | | | |
| August 24, 2024 | Pink | Sheryl Crow KidCutUp The Script | P!NK: Summer Carnival | | | |
| May 15, 2025 | Beyoncé | | Cowboy Carter Tour | | | |
| May 17, 2025 | Beyoncé | | Cowboy Carter Tour | | | |
| May 18, 2025 | Beyoncé | | Cowboy Carter Tour | | | |
| May 24, 2025 | AC/DC | The Pretty Reckless | Power Up Tour | | | |
| May 30, 2025 | The Weeknd | Playboi Carti Mike Dean | After Hours til Dawn Tour | | | |
| May 31, 2025 | The Weeknd | Playboi Carti Mike Dean | After Hours til Dawn Tour | | | |
| June 6, 2025 | Kendrick Lamar SZA | | Grand National Tour | | | |
| July 18, 2025 | Blackpink | | Blackpink 2025 World Tour | | | |
| August 28, 2025 | Oasis | Cage the Elephant | Oasis Live '25 Tour | | | |
| August 29, 2025 | My Chemical Romance | Devo | Long Live The Black Parade Tour | | | |

### Other events

* June 21–23, 1926: the 28th International Eucharistic Congress held three days of outdoor day and evening events.
* September 22, 1927: The Long Count Fight, the second heavyweight championship bout between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, was held at Soldier Field.
* June 24, 1932: a war show celebrating the bicentennial of George Washington's birth featured Amelia Earhart.
* May 27, 1933: Soldier Field held the opening ceremonies of the Century of Progress World's Fair. Postmaster General and DNC-Chairman James Farley facilitated the opening ceremony.
* October 28, 1944: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made an appearance at Soldier Field, which was the only Midwestern speaking appearance he made in his last re-election campaign. This appearance was attended by over 150,000 (with at least as many people attempting to attend who were unable to gain admission).
* April 25, 1951: Douglas MacArthur, US General during World War II, addressed a crowd of 50,000 at Soldier Field in his first visit to the United States in 14 years.
* June 21, 1964: the Chicago Freedom Movement, led by Martin Luther King Jr., held a rally here. As many as 75,000 came to hear Reverend King, Reverend Theodore Hesburgh (president of the University of Notre Dame, Archbishop Arthur M. Brazier, and Minister Edgar Chandler, among others.
* July 10, 1966: the Chicago Freedom Movement held a second rally here. As many as 60,000 people came to hear Dr. King, as well as Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Peter, Paul and Mary.
* 1974: The Chicago Fire of the World Football League (WFL) played here before folding in 1975.
* October 13, 1983: David D. Meilahn made the first-ever commercial cell phone call on a Motorola DynaTAC from his Mercedes-Benz 380SL at Soldier Field. This is considered a major turning point in communications. The call was to Bob Barnett, the former president of Ameritech Mobile Communications, who then placed a call on a DynaTAC from a Chrysler convertible to the grandson of Alexander Graham Bell, who was in Germany.
* The stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places beginning in 1984. Its National Historic Landmark status was removed in 2006.
* In the summer of 2006, the stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the Gay Games.
* In 2012, United States President Barack Obama held the 2012 Chicago summit, a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), at McCormick Place and Soldier Field.
* When the field and nearby Shedd Aquarium had to close to visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Soldier Field became the exercise grounds for the aquarium's penguins.

## In popular culture

* In the Marvel Comics event Siege, Soldier Field is inadvertently destroyed mid-game by Thor's friend Volstagg when he is tricked into fighting the U-Foes through Loki and Norman Osborn's manipulations of events. The stadium is later seen being rebuilt by the heroes after Steve Rogers is appointed head of U.S. Security, following the aforementioned event.
* The 1977 documentary film Powers of Ten focuses on two people having a picnic on the east side of Soldier Field.
* The stadium appears in the 2006 Clint Eastwood–directed movie Flags of Our Fathers, when the survivors of the Iwo Jima flag-raising reenact it for a patriotic rally.
* The opening match of the 1994 World Cup at Soldier Field was one of the five events covered in the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary June 17, 1994.
* Soldier Field features (much changed) in August 4017a.d. in From The Highlands short story in David Weber's anthology collection Changer Of Worlds. It appears to have gone through multiple renovations, rebuilds and even having been built over, until nothing but the open space of the original remained.
* In the 13th episode of Chicago Fire's fourth season, Soldier Field is featured on one of their calls for a terrorist hoax. The stadium appears again in the 21st episode of the fifth season as one of their calls for a high angle rescue. This stadium is featured again in the eighth season as members of firehouse 51 respond to help victims of a deadly infection. It is also featured and referenced in the fifteenth episode of season 9 as the preferred location for a medal ceremony for firefighter Randy McHolland (Mouch).
* In both the book and TV series, Daisy Jones & the Six, the eponymous group plays their final concert at Soldier Field on July 11, 1977.

## Gallery

* Soldier Field nearing completion, 1924
* The stadium mid-renovation in March 2003
* Aerial view of the stadium in 2008
* Soldier Field as seen from Lake Shore Drive in 2013
* View from Northerly Island
* The scenery around Soldier Field
* Exterior of Soldier Field, with a sign reading "Dedicated to the men and women of the armed services"
* Front of bronze mural
* View towards the western grandstand's cantilever over the original western colonnade
* View from NEMA, 2021