Upcoming Detroit Lions dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Detroit's team since 1934
The Detroit Lions play their home games at Ford Field, a fixed-dome stadium in downtown Detroit that seats about 65,000. Preseason games are in August, the regular season runs from September into early January, and every season includes a home game on Thanksgiving Day. Because the building is enclosed, weather never decides where you should sit, which makes Lions tickets simpler to choose than those for most northern teams.
The franchise began as the Portsmouth Spartans of Portsmouth, Ohio, and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. Financial trouble during the Depression led to a move to Detroit in 1934, where the team was renamed the Lions, a nod to the city's baseball Tigers. That same year owner George A. Richards scheduled a Thanksgiving game, starting the tradition the team is now best known for.
The Lions won four NFL championships, in 1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957, and the 1950s teams were among the league's best. The Ford family has owned the club since 1964, and Sheila Ford Hamp took control in 2020. The team colors are Honolulu blue and silver. Division rivals are the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, and the Bears series dates to 1930, when the franchise was still in Portsmouth.
Ford Field and its warehouse sideline
Ford Field opened on August 24, 2002, at 2000 Brush Street, across the street from Comerica Park, as part of a downtown revitalization plan. The Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority owns the building, and the Lions operate it. The playing field sits about 45 feet below street level, so many fans enter at a concourse partway up the bowl rather than climbing from the ground. Skylights and large windows let in daylight, and a 2017 renovation added new video boards and a new sound system.
The defining feature is a former Hudson's department store warehouse, built in the 1920s, that forms the stadium's south side. Most of the suites and the lounges for the south-side club seats are inside that warehouse. As a result, the south side has fewer general seats in its upper half, and the upper bowl has gaps at the southwest and southeast corners. Most of the grandstand seating is along the north sideline and the two end zones.
Before Ford Field, the Lions played at Tiger Stadium from 1938 to 1974 (with brief stints elsewhere) and at the Pontiac Silverdome, an 80,000-seat dome north of the city, from 1975 to 2001. The move downtown put the team within walking distance of the city's restaurants and its other stadiums.
Where to sit for a Lions game
Home side and visitors' side
The Lions bench is on the south sideline, the warehouse side. Lower-level seats on that side put you behind the home team, with club seating and suites stacked above. The north side holds the 100-level sideline seats, club seats on the 200 level and a mix of club and general seating on the 300 level, and it faces the Lions bench across the field.
Value in the north upper level
Because the south upper bowl is mostly warehouse suites, the bulk of affordable sideline seating is in the 300 level on the north side. Those seats look across at the Lions sideline and see the whole field from a height that suits football. For many fans, a 300-level seat between the 20-yard lines is a better view than a low end-zone seat at a similar or higher cost.
Front rows and end zones
The first rows of the lower bowl sit close enough to the field that players and staff on the sidelines block part of the view, so rows from roughly the middle of the 100 level upward usually show the play more clearly. End-zone seats are good for seeing scoring plays up close and poor for judging plays at the far end of the field.
Premium options
Ford Field sells several premium products, including loge boxes above sections 213 and 214 and above the south club seats, with oversized chairs and the most legroom in the building. Club seats add indoor lounges and shorter concession lines.
Noise
A fixed dome traps sound. When the stadium is full, crowd noise is loud everywhere in the bowl, and families with young children may want ear protection.
Thanksgiving, rivals and the games that draw the most demand
A Lions season includes preseason games in August, eight or nine regular-season home games and any home playoff games. Some of those dates sell far faster than others.
- Thanksgiving Day is the signature game of the year. It is a national television event, it falls on a holiday weekend when families travel, and it is often the first Lions game a visitor considers.
- Division games against the Packers, Bears and Vikings carry rivalry and standings weight, and Green Bay and Chicago fans make the drive to Detroit.
- Prime-time games on Sunday, Monday or Thursday nights draw extra demand from fans who want the full night-game atmosphere.
- Preseason games are the least expensive way to see Ford Field.
Demand has changed a great deal over the franchise's history. The team went without a playoff win from the 1991 season until January 2024, and in the Silverdome years many home games were blacked out on local television because they did not sell out. The lesson for buyers is that Lions demand follows the team's fortunes closely: winning stretches tighten Ford Field inventory, and lean years loosen it. Because the dome takes weather out of the equation, late-season games here do not soften the way cold-weather games can elsewhere.
Gameday downtown: transit, parking and policies
As of the 2026 season, Ford Field is a cashless building that accepts cards and mobile payment. The clear-bag policy allows a clear plastic bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus a small clutch about 4.5 by 6.5 inches; diaper bags, strollers and car seats are not allowed. During Lions games, smoking is permitted only in outdoor areas at Gate D (near sections 128 and 129) and Gate E (near section 225). Gate A tends to have the longest lines, so use the gate closest to your section. Policies change, so check the current rules on the Ford Field guest help page before you go.
Getting there
- Detroit People Mover: the downtown loop stops at Broadway and Grand Circus Park, both a short walk away.
- QLine streetcar: the Montcalm Street stop on Woodward Avenue is close to the stadium.
- Buses: DDOT and SMART routes serve downtown.
- Driving: the Lions recommend booking parking in advance and arriving early, since freeway exits near downtown back up before kickoff.
Before kickoff
Pride Plaza on Brush Street is the free official tailgate, and the team runs a discounted-concessions Power Hour inside the stadium in the hours before kickoff. Downtown bars and restaurants around Comerica Park and Grand Circus Park fill up early on game days. Every order on GoodSeats comes with free shipping and no digital transfer fees, so mobile tickets arrive in your account ready to scan.
Road trips and moments that shaped the franchise
Detroit's division road games are all within driving distance. Soldier Field in Chicago is open to the lake wind, and Lambeau Field in Green Bay is open-air with bench seating, so a December trip to either calls for serious cold-weather gear. U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is indoors, like Ford Field.
The franchise's story includes the 1950s championship teams, the era of quarterback Bobby Layne, and later stars such as running back Barry Sanders and receiver Calvin Johnson. It also includes the winless 2008 season, followed by a 2–14 finish in 2009. Ford Field itself hosted Super Bowl XL in February 2006, the NCAA Final Four in 2009, and WrestleMania 23, whose 80,103 fans set the building's attendance record. The Final Four returns in April 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Detroit Lions play?
The Lions play at Ford Field, 2000 Brush Street in downtown Detroit, next to Comerica Park. The stadium opened in 2002 and seats about 65,000 for football.
Does Ford Field have a roof?
Yes. Ford Field is a fixed dome with skylights and large windows, so games are played indoors and weather does not affect your seat choice.
Which sideline is the Lions sideline at Ford Field?
The Lions bench is on the south sideline, the side built into the former Hudson's warehouse. The north sideline faces it and holds most of the general upper-level seating.
Do the Lions always play on Thanksgiving?
The Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game as a tradition since 1934, and it remains a fixture of their schedule. It is usually the most requested home game of the season.
What is the easiest way to get to Ford Field without driving?
The Detroit People Mover stops at Broadway and Grand Circus Park, and the QLine streetcar stops at Montcalm Street. Both leave a short walk to the stadium.