Hard Rock Stadium
Foto: elisfkc2 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · zdroj
- Capacity
- 65,326
- Year opened
- 1987
- Club
- —
- Country
- United States
Overview
About the stadium
Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, just north of Miami. It opened in 1987 and seats 65,326 spectators. It is the home field of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and, since 2008, of the University of Miami's Miami Hurricanes college football team.
Location and surroundings
The stadium sits in Miami Gardens, a city incorporated in 2003 to the north of central Miami. Vast parking lots covering roughly 140 acres surround the arena and double as the surface for the temporary Miami International Autodrome racing circuit. A tennis complex with 29 courts was built on the south parking lots, and in January 2020 the SkyView gondola opened on the south side, offering views of the grounds and the Miami skyline.
Main uses
Beyond football, the stadium hosts a wide range of events. It has staged six Super Bowls and the annual college Orange Bowl, welcomed the Miami Open tennis tournament since 2019, and since 2022 has hosted the Formula One Miami Grand Prix on its grounds. From 1993 to 2011 it was home to MLB's Florida Marlins. The stadium will also host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
History
Journey through time
The stadium grew out of Dolphins founder Joe Robbie's decision to build a new home for the team after the city of Miami sought to raise the rent at the old Orange Bowl in 1976. It was the first multipurpose stadium in the United States to be entirely privately financed.
Construction and opening
The venue was designed in a rectangular configuration with a wider field to ease conversion for baseball and soccer. It opened in August 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium; the Dolphins' first preseason game took place there on August 16, 1987, against the Chicago Bears. At the time it sat in unincorporated Miami-Dade County with a Miami address.
Major renovations
The stadium has been reworked repeatedly. After Wayne Huizenga acquired part of the venue, it was extensively renovated for baseball, bringing the Florida Marlins to South Florida in 1993. Once the Marlins left for their own ballpark, a privately funded renovation of roughly $350–500 million began in January 2015: video boards were added in each corner, an open-air canopy was suspended over the seating bowl, and capacity was reduced from 75,000 to 65,000 seats.
Notable moments
The stadium hosted six Super Bowls, two baseball World Series (1997 and 2003), both won by the Marlins, and WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012, headlined by The Rock defeating John Cena. In 2024 it staged the Copa América final.
Atmosphere
Matchday
The atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium is shaped by its varied calendar and the subtropical Miami climate. As one of the region's largest arenas, and with South Florida home to a large Latin American community, it regularly draws boisterous crowds for international soccer matches.
Fan culture
Home fans of the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes form the core of the crowd, though their experience was long affected by tropical heat. Because the field runs east–west, the north stands were once exposed to harsh Florida sun, so owner Stephen Ross successfully petitioned for September home games to start at or after 4 pm. The 2016 renovation added a suspended canopy that shields fans from rain and sun, although a hole remains over the playing field itself.
Big matches
Football draws the biggest crowds, especially the Super Bowl and the college Orange Bowl. International soccer has repeatedly set attendance records here: in 2013 a crowd of 71,124 watched Brazil beat Honduras 5–0, and a year later a new record of 73,429 saw Brazil face Colombia. The stadium also hosted the 2024 Copa América final and will host seven matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Practical info
Visiting the stadium
Hard Rock Stadium lies in Miami Gardens, north of central Miami, ringed by extensive parking lots. When planning a visit, bear in mind that the complex serves not only football but also tennis, concerts, and motorsport, so the schedule and seating layout change depending on the event.
How to get there
The arena offers vast parking spread across roughly 140 acres, with room for more than 24,000 cars plus buses, RVs, and limousines. Since January 2020 the complex has also featured the SkyView gondola on its south side, providing views of the grounds and the Miami skyline.
Tickets and tours
Capacity for football and soccer configurations is 65,326 seats, including more than ten thousand club seats and nearly two hundred executive suites. During the Miami Open tennis tournament, the stadium proper becomes a center court for roughly 13,800 spectators, with temporary grandstands built on the playing surface.
Visitor tips
- When to come? For September Dolphins games, expect afternoon kickoffs because of the heat and the shade of the suspended canopy.
- What besides football? The complex hosts tennis (Miami Open), the Formula One Miami Grand Prix, and major concerts.
- How to park? Use the large lots surrounding the stadium and allow extra time for heavy traffic at major events.
Map
Where to find the stadium
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Plan your visit
Miami Gardens, United States
Accommodation
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