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Upcoming Miami Dolphins 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.
The Dolphins in brief: the perfect-season franchise
The Miami Dolphins play their home games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a 64,767-seat stadium with a canopy over most of its seats. The regular season runs from September into early January, which in South Florida means the early home games are some of the hottest in the NFL and the late ones some of the most comfortable.
The franchise joined the American Football League (AFL) in 1966 as an expansion team awarded to lawyer Joseph Robbie and actor Danny Thomas. Under head coach Don Shula, who led the team from 1970 to 1995, Miami reached three straight Super Bowls and won two of them, Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII. The 1972 team finished 14 and 0 in the regular season and won every postseason game, the first complete perfect season in NFL history and still the center of the franchise's identity.
The Dolphins have won five AFC championships (1971, 1972, 1973, 1982 and 1984). Quarterback Dan Marino, who played for Miami from 1983 to 1999, broke many of the league's passing records. The team competes in the AFC East against the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets. Stephen M. Ross has owned the club since 2009.
Hard Rock Stadium at a glance
The stadium opened on August 16, 1987, as Joe Robbie Stadium, named for the team's founder, and has carried several sponsor names since; it became Hard Rock Stadium in 2016. A privately funded renovation in 2015 and 2016 added the canopy and reduced capacity from about 75,000 to the current 64,767.
The Dolphins share the building with the Miami Hurricanes, the Orange Bowl and a calendar of large events, including the Miami Open tennis tournament, the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on a circuit built on the grounds, six Super Bowls and 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. The team's Baptist Health Training Complex, opened in 2021, sits next door.
For seat-level detail beyond football, see the full Hard Rock Stadium venue guide.
Where to sit for a Dolphins game
At Hard Rock Stadium, the sideline you choose matters as much as the level. Here is how the bowl breaks down:
- Dolphins sideline (south): the home bench sits on the south side, in front of sections 144 to 148. The 72 Club, field-level premium seating with reclining seats between the 35-yard lines, is on this side.
- Visitor sideline (north): the opposing bench sits in front of sections 117 to 121, with 118 at midfield. The Lexus North Sideline Club occupies 117 to 119.
- Upper level (300s): midfield sections 318 to 321 give a full-field view at the lowest cost of any sideline seat.
- End zones: sections 102 to 106 at the west end and 130 to 134 at the east end.
Shade is the main event
The canopy covers more than 90 percent of seats, but it does not cover them all equally. For afternoon games the north, visitor side takes the most sun, while the south, home side shades earlier. In September and October, that difference is the single biggest factor in comfort. Seats deep under the canopy, such as the upper rows of sections 343 to 346, stay the most protected, while the front rows of the lower bowl can still catch sun and get wet in a passing downpour.
Seats to think twice about
Low rows in the end zones are good for goal-line plays and weak for following anything between the 20-yard lines. Front-row sideline seats on the visitor side combine full sun with a view partly blocked by the bench area, which makes them a poor trade for most fans at an early-season day game.
Which Dolphins games draw the biggest crowds
The NFL plays a 17-game regular season over 18 weeks, so Miami hosts eight or nine regular-season games a year, plus preseason games in August and any home playoff games in January. Demand tends to follow these patterns:
- Division rivals. The Bills, Patriots and Jets each visit once a season. They carry the deepest history and tend to draw the strongest interest from both fan bases.
- Late-season games. November and December games offer milder weather and often carry playoff stakes, which pushes demand up.
- Prime-time games. Night kickoffs avoid the afternoon heat and draw a national audience, so they rank among the most popular dates on the schedule.
- Early-season day games. September afternoon games are hot and humid, and resale listings for the sun-exposed north side are often the easiest to find.
Prices on the resale market move with the opponent, the kickoff time and the standings. Shaded home-side seats tend to cost more than comparable seats across the field, and that gap tends to be widest for afternoon games early in the year. Every order through this marketplace is backed by a 100% guarantee.
For road trips, the AFC East schedule sends the Dolphins to Orchard Park, Foxborough and the Meadowlands each season, and December games in those cities are a sharp contrast with home.
Gameday logistics in Miami Gardens
As of the 2025 season, the stadium's posted rules are below; check the venue's current policy before you go.
- Parking: parking must be prepaid. Lots open four hours before a Dolphins kickoff and close about 90 minutes after the event.
- Tailgating: allowed in the parking lots, one space per vehicle. Gas and charcoal grills are permitted, open fires and kegs are not, and tents must be weighted rather than staked.
- Gates: stadium gates open two hours before kickoff, and re-entry is not allowed for most events.
- Bags: a clear-bag policy applies, with clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches. An oversized bag check is available for a fee.
- Heat gear: factory-sealed water bottles of 20 ounces or less are allowed; aerosol sunscreen and umbrellas are not. Bring lotion sunscreen and a hat.
- Rideshare and rail: the rideshare pickup is in Lot 44, about a 25-minute walk from the stadium. Brightline riders can use a free shuttle from Aventura Station, and free park-and-ride shuttles also operate.
- Payment and tickets: the stadium is cashless and uses digital tickets.
The full rules are on the stadium's A to Z guide. Plan for traffic on the roads around the stadium, and arrive early if you plan to tailgate.
From the Orange Bowl to Miami Gardens
The Dolphins played their first 21 seasons, from 1966 through 1986, at the Miami Orange Bowl. The move to Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987 gave the franchise its own building in what is now Miami Gardens.
A few chapters stand out in the team's history:
- The perfect season (1972): 14 and 0 in the regular season, capped by a win in Super Bowl VII.
- Back-to-back champions (1972 and 1973 seasons): Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII, part of three straight Super Bowl appearances.
- The Marino years (1983 to 1999): a run of record-setting passing, including the famous fake-spike play against the Jets.
- The Shula era (1970 to 1995): 26 seasons under one head coach, whose name is on the stadium's street address, Don Shula Drive.
The team's colors, originally aqua and coral, later added orange.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Miami Dolphins play?
The Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, their home since it opened in 1987. It seats 64,767 for football.
Which side of Hard Rock Stadium is in the shade?
For afternoon games, the south sideline, where the Dolphins bench is, shades earlier, while the north, visitor side takes more sun. The canopy covers more than 90 percent of seats, but front lower rows can still catch sun.
Is parking at Hard Rock Stadium prepaid?
As of the 2025 season, parking must be bought in advance, and lots open four hours before a Dolphins kickoff. Check the stadium's current policy before you go.
Can I bring water into Hard Rock Stadium?
Under the stadium's posted rules, factory-sealed water bottles of 20 ounces or less are allowed. Aerosol sunscreen and umbrellas are prohibited.
How many Super Bowls have the Dolphins won?
Two: Super Bowl VII after the 1972 perfect season and Super Bowl VIII the following season. The franchise has won five AFC championships.