Lumen Field

Seattle's stadium for football and soccer

Lumen Field is the home of the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, Seattle Sounders FC of MLS and Seattle Reign FC of the NWSL. It sits at 800 Occidental Avenue South in the SoDo neighborhood, less than a mile from downtown, on the site of the old Kingdome. Capacity is 68,740 for NFL games, expandable to about 72,000, and 37,722 for most Sounders matches, with more of the bowl opened for big games.

The stadium opened in 2002 as Seahawks Stadium and became Qwest Field in 2004, CenturyLink Field in 2011 and Lumen Field in November 2020. Beyond league play it has hosted the 2009 and 2019 MLS Cups (the 2019 final drew 69,274), six matches of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, college football including the Apple Cup, Monster Jam, Supercross and full stadium concerts. The complex also includes the Lumen Field Event Center and the WAMU Theater.

Lumen Field seating chart: levels, neighborhoods and the open north end

The bowl is a U shape: grandstands run along both sidelines and the south end, and the north end is open, with a 13-story scoreboard tower framing a view of downtown. Seats are stacked in three main tiers:

• 100 level: the lower bowl, close to the field on all three enclosed sides.
• 200 level: the club level, concentrated in the sideline sections, with access to the Delta Sky360 Club and other premium spaces. Club markets operate near sections 204 and 240.
• 300 level: the upper deck, now signed as the Summit Level, cantilevered over the lower seats so even high rows sit closer to the field than at many NFL stadiums.

Two areas sit outside that pattern. The Hawks' Nest is a bleacher section of about 3,000 seats at the base of the north tower, and the Toyota Fan Deck, added in 2015, put about 1,000 padded seats in two sections at the south end of the Summit Level beside the 12 Flag platform.

Since 2023 the stadium has signed its concourses by neighborhood: Cityside (north), Cascade (east), Rainier (south) and Olympic (west). Gates are numbered starting with Gate 1 at the northeast corner and running counterclockwise. Section and seat numbers did not change, so the section on your ticket still matches the seat map.

Best seats at Lumen Field, and staying dry

Staying dry

The roof covers about 70% of the seats but leaves the field open. Coverage is best higher in the bowl and along the sidelines; the lowest rows of the 100 level, the Hawks' Nest and the open north end are the most exposed, and wind can push rain under the roof edge onto the front rows. For a November or December game, a seat in the upper half of the 100 level or anywhere in the 300 level along a sideline is the safer bet.

Football

Sideline seats between the 20-yard lines, about a dozen rows up or higher in the 100 level, give the clearest look at the whole field. The front rows of the 300 level along the sidelines are the value play: a high, clear angle, roof cover and a lower price than the lower bowl. Avoid the top rows of the upper corners if you want to follow plays at the far end. The stadium's noise is part of the ticket; the partial roof and stacked decks reflect crowd sound onto the field, and fans here have set Guinness records for crowd noise, including 137.6 decibels in December 2013.

Soccer

For Sounders matches, midfield sideline seats in the 100 and 200 levels give the best tactical view. Supporters fill the general-admission sections behind the south goal, known as the Brougham End, where fans stand and sing for the full match; buy elsewhere if you want to sit.

Concerts

Stadium concerts usually place the stage at one end of the field, with floor seating on the field. Lower sideline sections angled toward the stage are the best balance of view and sound, and upper end seats facing the stage are the cheapest way in.

Lumen Field parking and transit

Lumen Field is one of the easiest NFL stadiums to reach without a car, and on-site parking is limited, so transit is usually the better plan.

Parking

As of 2026, two lots connect to the stadium: the Lumen Field Parking Garage, attached to the Event Center south of the stadium at 330 S. Royal Brougham Way, and the North Lot at 521 Stadium Place S. Both open at 6 a.m. on event days and close two hours after the event. For Seahawks games most spaces go to season ticket holders, so the stadium points other fans to transit or nearby garages such as Union Station and the T-Mobile Park garage. Vehicles entering the stadium garage are screened by explosive-detection dogs, oversized vehicles over 8 feet 3 inches fit only in the North Lot, and tailgating is not allowed in the on-site lots.

Light rail, trains and buses

• Link light rail: Stadium and International District/Chinatown stations are both close, with direct service to Sea-Tac Airport. The stadium notes that Link stops running at midnight, which matters for late concerts.
• Sounder commuter rail: King Street Station is roughly a football field away, with trains from Lakewood and Everett.
• Buses and streetcar: more than 15 King County Metro routes stop within three blocks, and the First Hill Streetcar stops at S. Jackson Street and Occidental, about 0.3 miles away.
• Ferries: Colman Dock (Pier 52) is less than a mile away, with service to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton.

Passenger drop-off is across from the Pro Shop on Railroad Way S. Details are on the Lumen Field parking and transportation page.

Lumen Field bag policy (2026)

As of the 2026 season, Lumen Field applies a clear-bag policy to Seahawks games and large stadium events such as concerts and dirt shows. Allowed:

• clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, including clear backpacks of that size with no more than two pockets;
• one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags;
• small bags or clutches no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches, with or without a strap, which do not need to be clear;
• soft-sided seat cushions with no pockets, zippers or metal frames.

Medical items and diaper bags are allowed after inspection at designated entrances. If you arrive with a bag that does not comply, Walker's Lockers runs bag storage near the north and south entrances. The stadium has been cashless since 2020, so bring a card or phone for concessions. Sounders and Reign matches can differ in details, so check the venue's current policy on the Lumen Field clear-bag page before you go.

Food and the stadium's upgrades

The concession mix leans local, with Pacific Northwest vendors alongside stadium staples, and Lumen Field has added cashierless Just Walk Out markets across the concourses, including the club markets in the 200 level. Recent additions include the T-Mobile Endzone sports bar and its 1976 Club loge boxes, Cityside bars under the Hawks' Nest, larger north video boards and Touchdown Suites, which debuted in 2025. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

From the Kingdome to Lumen Field

The Seahawks played in the Kingdome from 1976 to 1999. After Paul Allen secured an option to buy the team, Washington voters approved public funding in a June 1997 statewide referendum, and the Kingdome was imploded in March 2000 to clear the site. Designed by Ellerbe Becket with LMN Architects, the 430 million dollar complex (stadium, Event Center and garage) is publicly owned through the Washington State Public Stadium Authority and operated by First and Goal. Allen rejected a retractable roof in favor of the partial roof, which kept costs down, preserved the skyline view and helped create one of the loudest environments in the NFL. The stadium hosted the Seahawks' home playoff run that led to their Super Bowl XLVIII title.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Lumen Field
• Lumen Field – Stadium History and Facts
• Lumen Field – Parking and Transportation
• Lumen Field – Clear Bag Policy
• Lumen Field – Navigating Lumen Field
• RateYourSeats – Lumen Field club seats (orientation)