While the best cities might vary depending on what experiences you are seeking and who you are traveling with, we’ve created a comprehensive list of the cities based on nine different categories. This way you can choose the factors that best fit your needs and preferences!
You can find the full list of the cities and their rankings at the end of this article.
1. Detroit, Michigan (81.7 out of 100)
Topping our list of the best cities for visiting NFL fans is Detroit, the home of Motown and the birthplace of the modern automobile. The city is also home to four major league sports teams – the Detroit Lions (NFL), the Detroit Tigers (MLB), the Detroit Pistons (NBA) and the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) – so there’s always some sporting heritage to be enjoyed when you’re killing time before the big kick off.
With the Pistons being the second oldest team in the NBA and the Lions being the fifth oldest team in the NFL, the city has a long, established history among the great sports cities in the US.
Located in downtown Detroit, the Lions’ home ground of Ford Field ranked on the fifth place of the most iconic stadiums category. Scoring an average review score of 4.4, the stadium opened its doors in 2002 and has been hashtagged in Instagram nearly 100,000 times.
Thanks to the central location of the stadium, it also ranked first on the number of bars within walking distance, boasting a whopping 129 bars in a 1-mile radius.
For more sports action, NFL fans visiting the city can also head to the Comerica Park to watch some baseball, or to the Little Caesars Arena to watch either basketball or ice hockey.
If you’re looking to do some gambling while in the city, there are three brick-and-mortar casinos to choose from. However, Michigan is also a great place for online gambling and there are some amazing welcome offers that you should check out if you’re visiting Chicago.
2. Chicago, Illinois (81.38 out of 100)
Most famous for its stunning architecture and deep-dish pizza, the Windy City is also known for its passion for sports. The city is home to four major league sports teams, including the Chicago Bears (NFL), the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), the Chicago Cubs (MLB), and the Chicago White Sox (MLB), providing plenty of entertainment before watching your team.
Placing second on our list of the best NFL cities for visiting fans, the city’s strengths lie in the Chicago Bears’ long legacy as well as the history and popularity of their stadium.
Soldier Field, which is located near the Chicago downtown area, opened in 1924, making it the oldest stadium in the league. Adding to this perfect score, it is also the second most popular stadium on social media with nearly 226,000 hashtags (with only New York’s MetLife Stadium generating more hashtags) helping the stadium take second place for the category of the most iconic stadiums.
The other contributing factor that secured the city a place so high up on the list comes from the Bears’ success and history. Founded 1920, the team is the third oldest team in the NFL. Thanks to its long legacy and the fact that the Bears have the most players introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (35), the city placed fourth on the category measuring the prestige of the franchise.
When it comes to other game day activities, sports fans will be pleased to know that there are three other stadiums to visit for major league sports action (Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field and United Center). Chicago Sports Museum, an interactive museum showcasing the city’s sports history, is also a must visit for NFL fans!
Those looking for some evening excitement will also be delighted to know that Chicago has the second most sports bars (58) within a 5-mile radius from the stadium. If you’re looking to place a wager or two, Chicago is also a great place for doing so, with eight casinos located within a short drive from the stadium. Illinois also has a variety of great online casinos and sportsbooks for those interested in gambling.
If these are not enough of a reason to visit Chicago, the Bears fans were also voted as the second sexiest fanbase in the NFL by supporters of other NFL teams!
3. New Orleans, Louisiana (77.05 out of 100)
Taking third place is New Orleans, the party hotspot on the Mississippi River, known for its street parties, round-the-clock nightlife and cultural diversity. When it comes to sports, NOLA is home to two professional sports teams – the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA).
Those visiting the city should not miss the legendary pre- and post-game celebrations in the French Quarter with their great food, music and a festive atmosphere.
The Saints’ home field, Caesars Superdome, is located at the heart of the city’s Central Business District, 0.6 miles from the city center and 1.4 miles from the French Quarter.
It opened in 1975, making it the fifth oldest stadium in the league. It also ranked fifth on its average review score, with 4.4 out of 5, and second highest for its central location.
Those visiting the stadium should consider visiting the Saints Hall of Fame or the adjacent Smoothie King Center that is home to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Overall, NOLA is among the best cities to visit if you’re looking for a party, with the city ranking third on the number of bars within walking distance from the stadium (120) and seventh on the number of sports bars in the vicinity (39).
New Orleans also ranked as the best city for gamblers, with visitors able to choose between online sports betting and the city’s 18 casinos located near the stadium.
4. Charlotte, North Carolina (76.37 out of 100)
Known as the “Queen City”, the fourth place on our list goes to Charlotte, North Carolina, the home of the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers’ home field, Bank of America Stadium, first opened in 1996 as Ericsson Stadium, and is the eighth oldest stadium still in use in the NFL.
Located in uptown Charlotte, the stadium ranked in the top 3 for its closeness to the city center and second highest on the number of bars within a walking distance (124).
It also ranked fifth on the number of sports bars within a 5-mile radius (43).
Other exciting sports-related attractions in the city include the Spectrum Center, home of the NBA team Charlotte Hornets, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
And not to forget the Southern hospitality, the Panthers fans were ranked among the most liked by the supporters of other teams!
5. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (75.8 out of 100)
Completing our list of the Top 5 cities for visiting NFL fans is Pittsburgh, the city in southwest Pennsylvania known as “the Steel City” or “the City of Bridges” – the latter nickname due to the fact that the city has 446 bridges – more than any other city in the world.
Passionate about their sports, Pittsburgh is home to three major league teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB), the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) and of course, the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.
Founded in 1933, the Steelers have a long and successful history. Sharing the first place for the most Super Bowls wins (6) with the New England Patriots, the Steelers also come in second for the highest number of MVP players (6) and fourth highest on the number of players introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (30).
In addition to placing third on the rankings for franchise prestige, the Steelers’ Acrisure Stadium received the third highest score on customer reviews (4.53 out of 5). It was also ranked in the Top 5 in the NFL for the best atmosphere!
The city is also home to two other major league stadiums: PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates) and PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh Penguins). As a passionate sports city, Pittsburgh is also home to Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, located in the Heinz History Center.
Those traveling with children should visit the Carnegie Science Center’s interactive Highmark SportsWorks.
NFL Fans Visiting Abroad
The NFL returns to Europe this autumn with five games played in London, United Kingdom and Frankfurt, Germany.
With thousands of devoted NFL supporters making the trip across the pond, we wanted to see how the cities and their stadiums compared to their US counterparts.
London, United Kingdom
While London would place 24th on the overall rankings when compared to the US stadiums, it beat them in one category – gambling opportunities. Fans traveling to the city are able to pick and choose from 19 different casinos, ensuring visitors a great gambling experience.
American fans will also be pleasantly surprised when buying “a pint” with a beer costing an average of $6.30, making the UK capital the fourth most affordable for gameday beverages.
??? Iconic Stadiums – 11.7 / 20
?? Prestige of the Franchise (Jacksonville) – 4.8 / 20
?? Sports bars (within a 5-mile radius) – 1.6 / 10
?? Distance from major city center to stadium – 4.7 / 10
?? Bars within walking distance of stadium – 5 / 10
?? Cost of a hot dog at the stadium ($) – 1.4 / 5
?? Cost of a beer at the stadium ($) – 4.5 / 5
?? Gambling Opportunities – 9.8 / 10
?? Sports-related activities nearby – 10 / 10
Overall Score: 62.3 / 100
Frankfurt, Germany
When compared to the US cities and stadiums, Frankfurt would take 13th place on the overall rankings, with the city scoring high on cheap hot dogs ($3.7) and the city’s casino scene that is even bigger than London’s with a whopping 44 casinos.
Frankfurt Stadium also scored on top for its affordable beer prices (5$), sharing the first place with five US stadiums.
??? Iconic Stadiums – 13.8 / 20
?? Prestige of the Franchise (Chiefs and Patriots) – 16.3 / 20
?? Sports bars (within a 5-mile radius) – 2.8 / 10
?? Distance from major city center to stadium – 6.6 / 10
?? Bars within walking distance of stadium – 3.1 / 10
?? Cost of a hot dog at the stadium – 4.5 / 5
?? Cost of a beer at the stadium – 5 / 5
?? Gambling Opportunities – 10 / 10
?? Sports-related activities nearby – 8.4 / 10
Overall Score: 70.5 / 100
See How Your City Ranks Compared to the Others
Methodology
To determine the best NFL cities in the US for visiting fans, we analyzed the 32 teams, stadiums and home cities in the following factors:
??? Iconic Stadiums – Score calculated based on the following three categories (Score out of 20)
? The stadium’s combined score based on its review scores on Google Maps, TripAdvisor and Yelp
? The age of the stadium (the oldest scored the highest score and the newest the lowest)
? Number of hashtags on Instagram
?? Prestige of the Franchise – Score calculated based on the following categories (Score out of 20)
? The founding year of the team
? Number of Super Bowl wins
? Number of Super Bowl MVPs
? Number of players that have been introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
?? Sports bars (within a 5-mile radius from the stadium) (Score out of 10)
?? Distance from major city center to stadium (miles) (Score out of 10)
?? Bars within walking distance of stadium (1-mile radius) (Score out of 10)
?? Cost of a hot dog at the stadium ($) (Score out of 5)
?? Cost of a beer at the stadium ($) (Score out of 5)
?? Gambling Opportunities (Score out of 10)
? Casinos (within 15-mile radius from the stadium)
? Online betting available in the state
?? Sports-related activities nearby (Score out of 10)
? Including the number of other stadiums of major league teams (NHL, MLB and NBA) as well as sports-related museums
Sources
The average review scores were sourced from Google Maps, TripAdvisor and Yelp.
The basic information, including when the team was founded and the stadium opened were sourced from Wikipedia and fact-checked from multiple sources.
The number of hashtags was sourced from Instagram.
The number of Super Bowl wins was sourced from Statista.
The number of Super Bowl MVPs was sourced from ESPN.
The number of players that have been introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was sourced from the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.
The number of sports bars was sourced from Yelp.
Distance from major city center to the stadium was sourced from Google Maps and was based on the shortest distance by driving.
The number of bars within a walking distance was sourced from Yelp.
The price of a hot dog at the stadium was sourced from Statista (2022).
The price of food and drink at Tottenham Hotspur stadium was sourced MyLondon.
The price of food and drink at Frankfurt Stadium was sourced Transfermarkt.
The price of a beer at the stadium was sourced from Statista (2022).
The number of casinos was calculated by a 15-mile radius from the stadium using Google Maps.
The states where online betting is legal was sourced from BonusFinder.
The number of sports-related activities was calculated by searching which other major league teams are based in the city and have a stadium there (NHL, MLB and NBA) as well as by looking up “sports museums” in the city on Google.
