The high school football season is quickly approaching, meaning stadiums across the country will be filled with thousands of screaming fans from August to December.
While smaller stadiums have a distinct charm, there’s no denying the striking spectacle of a large stadium, with thousands of fans who are looking to flip the momentum one way or another.
With that in mind, what are the largest high school stadiums in the country?
There are multiple schools around the country that have a stadium with a capacity of 10,000. They include Bazemore-Hyder Stadium (Valdosta, GA), Buford City Stadium (GA), Dutch Clark Stadium (Pueblo, CO), Mitchell Stadium (Bluefield, WV), Reitz Bowl (Evansville, IN), and Union-Tuttle Stadium (Tulsa, OK).
Nine other stadiums top the list with capacities of 18,500-plus; however, none host a single high school throughout the year and are considered multi-purpose outdoor stadiums.
Here are the four single-school high school football stadiums that have a capacity of 15,000 or more.
1. Eagle Stadium, Allen (TX)
School: Allen High School
Capacity: 18,000+
Breakdown: Everything is bigger in Texas, and that is the case for Eagle Stadium. Completed in 2012, the stadium opened on August 31, 2012, following two years of construction. When it was approved in 2009, it cost $60 million and was funded by voter-approved bond packages.
The opening game at Eagle Stadium saw a crowd of 22,000. However, it was closed in February 2014 after extensive cracking was found in the concourse concrete.
It reopened in mid-2015 following more than $10 million in repairs.
2. Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon (OH)
School: Washington High School
Capacity: 16,600+
Breakdown: Named after NFL Hall of Fame coach and alum Paul Brown, ground was broken for this stadium in 1938, and it opened a year later. It was originally named Tiger Stadium but was renamed for Brown in 1977.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 16,600, but can accommodate over 19,000 with extra seating. While it is home to the Washington Tigers, it also hosts multiple playoff games and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Drum and Bugle Corps competition.
It is currently undergoing a massive renovation, set to be completed in 2027. The final phase of the project includes a 24,000-square-foot locker room and state-of-the-art sports medicine facilities.
T-3. J. Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown (PA)
Schools: Allen High School, Allentown Central Catholic High School, Dieruff High School
Capacity: 15,000+
Breakdown: J. Birney Crum Stadium, the largest high school stadium in Pennsylvania, is the one exception on this list. The venue is shared by the three high schools in Allentown and is named after J. Birney Crum, a multi-sport Allentown High School star who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
The stadium opened in 1948 and was then called Allentown High School Stadium and sometimes Allentown School District Stadium (ASD Stadium). It was renamed after Crum in 1982, and in 2002, it was renovated, including the installation of FieldTurf.
T-3. Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
School: Canton McKinley High School
Capacity: 15,000+
Breakdown: The home of the annual NFL Hall of Fame game, this stadium serves as the home site to the Canton McKinley Bulldogs for the rest of the season.
Officially named Fawcett Stadium, it opened on September 23, 1939. The stadium went through a massive $139 million renovation between 2015 and 2017. It was renamed the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium because of the massive donation from the late New Orleans Saints owner.
For high school games, the stadium seats roughly 15,000. However, for the Hall of Fame game, that capacity jumps up to 22,400.
