You’d think picking a place to play the biggest game on earth would be a science. It isn't. Not really. Most fans assume the NFL just looks for the shiniest new stadium or the city with the best weather and says, "Yeah, let's go there."
Honestly? It's way more political and weirdly specific than that.
If you look back at past super bowl sites, you start to see a pattern that has less to do with football and everything to do with hotel room counts, golf courses, and how much a city is willing to grovel. We just finished up with Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans—their 11th time hosting, by the way—and it's clear the league has its favorites.
The Warm Weather Obsession (and Why It Broke)
For decades, the "Orange Bowl" or "Superdome" were basically the only words the selection committee knew. They had this rule: if the average temperature is below 50 degrees, you better have a roof.
Florida is the undisputed king here. Between Miami, Tampa, and that one time in Jacksonville where they had to bring in cruise ships because there weren't enough hotel rooms (Super Bowl XXXIX), the Sunshine State has hosted 17 times.
But then came 2014.
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey changed everything. It was cold. It was outdoors. People freaked out. Forecasters were predicting a "Snow Bowl," and the NFL basically had a collective panic attack. In the end, it was just chilly, and the Seahawks absolutely dismantled the Broncos, but it proved the league was willing to gamble on a "cold weather" site if the market was big enough.
Where the Most Games Actually Happened
If you're keeping score, New Orleans and Miami are currently neck-and-neck.
- Miami: 11 games (including those old-school Orange Bowl classics).
- New Orleans: 11 games (mostly in the Superdome).
- Greater Los Angeles: 8 games (split between the Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, and now SoFi).
New Orleans is the interesting one. They just hosted LIX at the Caesars Superdome. It’s basically the NFL’s living room. Even when the lights went out in 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII), the league didn't hold a grudge. There’s something about the "walkability" of the French Quarter that makes NFL owners overlook the fact that the stadium is, well, getting a bit up there in age.
The Weird Stipulations Nobody Mentions
You want to host a Super Bowl? You better have some grass.
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Specifically, the NFL requires host cities to provide two climate-controlled practice facilities for the teams. These fields have to be identical to the playing surface of the actual stadium. If the stadium has FieldTurf, the practice field better be FieldTurf. If it's natural grass, that practice grass needs to be the exact same strain.
And don't even get me started on the "hospitality" requirements. The NFL famously asks for free police escorts, thousands of parking spots, and—this is real—access to local golf courses during the summer and spring before the game. It’s basically a temporary takeover of a city’s infrastructure.
The "New Stadium" Tax
There’s a reason we’re heading to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX in February 2026. Levi's Stadium is relatively new, and the NFL loves rewarding teams that convince taxpayers to build them a shiny new home.
We saw it with Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (2024) and SoFi in LA (2022). It's a "thank you" from the league. If a city builds a billion-dollar glass palace, they’re almost guaranteed a spot in the rotation within the first five years.
But it’s not always a win for the city.
Brad Humphreys, an economics professor at West Virginia University, has spent years debunking the "economic windfall" myth. He basically argues that while $600 million sounds like a lot of money coming in, most of it is just "replacement spending." You’re trading a regular tourist who would’ve been in Vegas anyway for a football fan. The net gain? Often way lower than the PR firms claim.
Forgotten Venues and "One-Hit Wonders"
Not every site is a staple.
Stanford Stadium hosted once in 1985. It was basically a college bleacher setup compared to the luxury suites we see now. Rice Stadium in Houston (1974) is another one that feels like a fever dream now. Then you have the demolished icons:
- The Georgia Dome: Hosted twice before being imploded for Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- The Pontiac Silverdome: Hosted Super Bowl XVI, where the 49ers started their dynasty. It’s a parking lot now.
- Tulane Stadium: The site of the coldest Super Bowl ever (Super Bowl VI), where it was 39 degrees at kickoff.
What’s Coming Next?
The calendar is already filling up, and the league is moving away from the old "bidding" system. Now, the NFL just approaches a city and says, "We want to be here, give us a proposal."
- 2026: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara (The second time for this venue).
- 2027: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (Returning to the "Entertainment Capital").
- 2028: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (The fourth time for the city).
The trend is clear: state-of-the-art tech, massive digital screens, and "campus-style" layouts where fans can spend money for six straight blocks around the stadium.
Making Sense of the Sites
If you’re planning a trip to a future game or just settling a bar bet about past super bowl sites, keep these nuances in mind. The "best" site isn't the one with the most history; it’s the one that can handle 35,000 parking spots and 100,000 people without the cell towers crashing.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Renovations: Before booking for a future site like Atlanta in 2028, look at the stadium's "neighborhood" plan. Host committees are increasingly moving "Super Bowl Experience" events miles away from the actual stadium to manage crowds.
- Verify Seating Capacity: If you're looking for the "biggest" atmosphere, the Rose Bowl still holds the record (103,985 fans at Super Bowl XIV). Modern stadiums like Levi's actually hold significantly fewer people (around 68,000), which makes tickets exponentially harder to get.
- Monitor the Weather Waiver: If you're hoping for another New York or Chicago game, keep an eye on the NFL Owners' meetings. Unless a city is building a dome (like the Titans' new stadium in Nashville), the league is likely to stick to the Sun Belt for the foreseeable future.