Football and tailgating go hand in hand, but some NFL cities offer more comfortable and convenient game-day conditions than others. A comparison of weather, parking, nearby stores and attendance rated each team’s tailgating setting on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the strongest overall experience. The analysis used information from the National Centers for Environmental Information, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps and ESPN.
## Best and Worst NFL Tailgating Cities
The Los Angeles Chargers lead the rankings with a score of 87.5 out of 100, narrowly ahead of the Los Angeles Rams at 87.2. Both teams play at SoFi Stadium and share the same parking areas and nearby stores. Their scores differ because each team’s home schedule includes a different mix of dates.
The Chargers have two September home games, compared with one for the Rams. The Rams, meanwhile, have an additional home game in late December. Across their respective home schedules, Chargers games average 64.2 degrees with a 9% chance of rain. Rams games average 63.6 degrees with a 10% chance of rain.
The Houston Texans rank third at 83.8, helped by the largest surface-parking area in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals are fourth at 83.5, followed by the New York Giants at 81.9 and the Philadelphia Eagles at 81.2. The New York Jets place seventh with a score of 80.0.
Both stadiums shared by two NFL teams have teams in the top 10: SoFi Stadium’s Chargers and Rams occupy first and second place, while MetLife Stadium’s Giants and Jets rank fifth and seventh. The Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers tie for eighth at 79.0, and the Miami Dolphins complete the top 10 with 78.6.
At the opposite end of the overall rankings are the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks, with scores of 52.0, 53.0 and 53.4, respectively. Each team faces different challenges, including cold or rainy conditions and limited parking space.
Green Bay has the coldest average home-game high in the league at 46 degrees. The Packers are also one of only two teams without a home date when both the daily high and low fall within the analysis’s ideal outdoor range of 51°F to 80°F. The most comfortable day on Green Bay’s schedule is the September 24 game against Atlanta, when temperatures are expected to reach 69 degrees before falling to 47 after dark. Minnesota has the league’s second-coldest average home-game high, at 47 degrees.
Seattle’s average home-game high is milder, at 56 degrees, but parking space is a constraint. About 34 acres of surface parking sit within a mile of Lumen Field, and only 35% of that area is within a half mile of the stadium gates.
## NFL Cities With the Best Game-Day Weather
Los Angeles also leads the weather comparison. Home games at SoFi Stadium average a high near 72 degrees for both the Chargers and Rams. Las Vegas, Arizona and San Francisco round out the top five for game-day weather.
Rain chances distinguish the driest and wettest schedules. Raiders fans have the lowest average chance of measurable rain at home, just 7%. The Chargers follow at 9%, while Arizona and the Rams each average 10%.
Seattle has the wettest home schedule, with an average 50% chance of rain. Buffalo follows at 47%, and Cleveland at 45%. By contrast, Miami has the warmest average home schedule, at 75 degrees, with Tampa Bay close behind at 74. Arizona’s average temperature is 67 degrees, near the middle of the comfortable range used in the comparison.
## Parking Near the Stadium Gates
Tampa Bay has the highest share of nearby parking: 88% of the parking around Raymond James Stadium is within a half mile of the gates. SoFi Stadium ranks second at 86%, followed by Highmark Stadium at 85%. MetLife Stadium places fourth at 82%, and Arrowhead Stadium is fifth at 77%.
Arizona combines a large parking area with a relatively short walk to the stadium. Of the 273 acres around State Farm Stadium, 74% are within a half mile of the gates.
Houston has the most surface parking in the NFL, with 396 acres—nearly 12 times the amount available to Bears fans at Soldier Field. That large footprint helps the Texans rank third overall.
## Stores and Supplies Near NFL Stadiums
Tailgaters often need food, drinks and ice before settling in for the game. Philadelphia has 1,941 liquor, grocery and convenience stores within five miles of Lincoln Financial Field, more than any other NFL city. MetLife Stadium has 1,557 nearby stores, and SoFi Stadium has 1,521.
Store ratings tell a different story from store counts. Buffalo has the highest average rating, at 4.24 out of 5. Green Bay ranks second at 4.23, despite having one of the shortest lists of nearby options. Detroit, Minnesota and New Orleans each average 4.20.
## The Takeaway
The Chargers and Rams have the highest overall tailgating scores, with Houston, Arizona and the Giants also ranking near the top. Los Angeles and Las Vegas stand out for favorable weather, while Houston offers the most surface parking and Philadelphia has the most nearby stores.
Green Bay and Minnesota face the coldest average conditions, while Seattle has the highest average chance of rain among the teams compared. Still, difficult weather or limited space does not necessarily diminish the appeal of game day for dedicated fans.
