Citi Field

Citi Field capacity and what plays here

Citi Field is the home of the New York Mets, an open-air ballpark in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, with a capacity of 41,922. It opened in 2009 next to the site of Shea Stadium, which it replaced, and the subway and Long Island Rail Road both stop just outside the gates.

• Mets baseball: the MLB regular season runs from late March or early April through September, with October baseball in playoff years.
• Soccer: New York City FC has used Citi Field as a part-time home since 2022; the club's own stadium, Etihad Park, is scheduled to open across the street in 2027.
• Concerts and special events: summer stadium shows, starting with Paul McCartney's opening concerts in July 2009, and events such as the 2018 NHL Winter Classic.

How the Citi Field seating chart works

The grandstand wraps from the right-field foul pole around home plate to left-center field, with about 42 percent of the seats on the lowest deck. There are three main seating levels, and each uses its own block of section numbers:

• Field Level (100s): the lower deck closest to the field. Lower numbers sit toward the first-base side and higher numbers toward third base and left field; the Hyundai Club entrances at sections 114 (first base) and 121 (third base) bracket the area behind home plate.
• Excelsior Level (300s): the middle deck, with the Heineken Diamond Lounge behind home plate and bars behind section 312 on the first-base side and section 327 on the third-base side.
• Promenade Level (400s and 500s): the upper deck, split into sections 401–437 and the higher sections 501–538. The Hudson Whiskey NY Club sits behind home plate on this level.

The outfield has its own landmarks. The Coca-Cola Corner, originally called the Pepsi Porch, hangs over the field in right field and is reached by a ramp from Excelsior section 306. The Porch, sections 334–339, is reached only by the elevator at Excelsior section 334. The Shea Bridge crosses the outfield, and the Home Run Apple rises from center field after Mets home runs.

Best seats at Citi Field for baseball and concerts

Most fans get the best mix of view and price on the infield of the middle and upper levels rather than in the most expensive rows.

• Best overall: Field Level sections behind home plate and along the infield, roughly between sections 114 and 121. The Delta Sky360 Club holds 1,600 premium seats behind home plate, from dugout to dugout.
• Best value: the Excelsior Level between the bases. It is high enough to see the whole field develop on every play, and close enough to follow the ball.
• Best budget seats: the lower Promenade (the 400s) behind the infield. The 500s are the highest in the park, so choose them for price, not for detail.
• Best for groups: the Coca-Cola Corner and The Porch, which give an outfield, social setting with a view of home runs coming toward you.
• Best for kids: seats near center field, where the Fan Fest area opens with the first gate and runs until the top of the seventh inning.

Seats deep in the corners and the far outfield turn your view toward the infield at an angle, and the orange foul poles can sit in the line of sight from nearby rows, so check a view from your section before you buy. For concerts, the stage and floor layout depend on the tour; use the event map. Demand peaks for Opening Day, Subway Series games against the Yankees, summer weekends and the postseason. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

Getting to Citi Field: 7 train, LIRR and parking

Transit is the easiest way in. The 7 subway line stops at Mets–Willets Point, steps from the ballpark. The Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch also stops at Mets–Willets Point, and since April 2023 that station has had full-time service, every 30 minutes in each direction.

Parking

As of the 2026 season, according to the Mets' ballpark guide:

• Main lots: the Orange Reserved lot, Lot F and Lot G open 2.5 hours before events.
• Prepaid passes: sold in advance through the Mets' parking page, which is the safer choice for sellouts.
• Remote lots: the Southfield/Commuter lot and Stadium View West, plus Marina West for special events only.
• Rideshare pickup: the Stadium View East lot.

Drinking alcohol on the sidewalks or in the lots around the ballpark is illegal, and there are no trash bins in the lots, so bag your trash. Parking rates and lot openings change for special events; check the Mets ballpark guide before you drive.

Citi Field bag policy and entry rules (2026 season)

As of the 2026 season, Citi Field does not use a clear-bag policy. Instead, it bans backpacks and limits bag size:

• Not allowed: backpacks, unless they are fully clear with no hidden inner pockets.
• Allowed: purses, non-backpack diaper bags, totes, drawstring bags and messenger bags, no larger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches.
• Coolers: small soft-sided coolers are allowed; hard-sided coolers, glass bottles and metal cans are not.

• Gates: open 90 minutes before first pitch. The main entrance is the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, and every entry point is accessible.
• Accessible entrances: the Hodges (first base), Seaver (third base) and Stengel (left field) entrances also serve guests who need elevators. The Mets' Accessibility Services office handles seating requests.
• Payments: the ballpark is cashless, with reverse ATMs near section 114 and outside the Rotunda.
• Re-entry: guests who leave are not allowed back in without prior approval.
• Smoking: prohibited throughout the ballpark.

Policies can change by season and event, so check the Mets' guide before you go.

Food and things to do at the ballpark

Citi Field is known for its food. Taste of the City is a food court in center field, and Shake Shack is among the stands. Taste of Queens, near Fan Fest, rotates in two Queens restaurants. Kosher stands operate Sunday through Thursday near Fan Fest, at section 408 and at section 119. Alcohol sales at concession stands stop after the seventh inning.

• Mets Hall of Fame and Museum: beside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda on the first-base side, with the 1969 and 1986 World Series trophies.
• Kids Club: at Promenade section 431 on game days.
• Family restrooms: with adult changing tables behind sections 312 and 420.

Citi Field history and notable moments

The Mets played their first regular-season game at Citi Field on April 13, 2009, against the San Diego Padres. Citigroup holds the naming rights. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the main entrance, honors Robinson with his nine core values engraved on the floor, and the original Home Run Apple from Shea Stadium now stands on Mets Plaza near the Tom Seaver statue.

• Fences: the outfield dimensions were adjusted before the 2012 and 2014 seasons; center field now measures 408 feet.
• Big events: the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, the 2015 World Series and the 2018 NHL Winter Classic between the Rangers and the Sabres.
• Small details: it is the only big-league park with orange foul poles, and in 2024 the Mets installed a purple Grimace seat in section 302, row 6, seat 12.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Citi Field
• New York Mets – Citi Field A-Z Guide
• Wikipedia – Mets–Willets Point station (LIRR)
• Ballparks of Baseball – Citi Field