Located in the Windy City along the shores of Lake Michigan, Soldier Field serves as the home of the Chicago Bears. While often regarded as the NFL’s oldest stadium, much of the current structure dates to a major reconstruction completed in the early 2000s. The original stadium opened in 1924 with a seating capacity of 74,000, and the Bears moved there from Wrigley Field in 1971.

By the mid-1980s, discussions about new stadium development had become prominent across Chicago. At the time, the Chicago White Sox were seeking a new ballpark, while both Wrigley Field and Soldier Field were considered outdated. In 1985, proposals surfaced for a domed stadium in downtown Chicago that could serve multiple teams. A year later, the Bears and city officials explored demolishing Soldier Field and constructing a new facility just south of the existing site. However, financing challenges and disagreements over location delayed progress for years. Throughout the 1990s, numerous alternative sites were considered, including Arlington Heights, McCormick Place, Elk Grove, Gary, and various locations within Chicago.

In November 2000, the Bears and the City of Chicago finalized plans to rebuild Soldier Field on its existing site. While most of the original structure was demolished, the stadium’s iconic Greek colonnades were preserved as a tribute to its historic legacy. During construction, the Bears played the 2002 season at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL, home of the Illinois Fighting Illini college football team. The rebuilt venue retained the name Soldier Field, and the Bears played their first game there on September 29, 2003, against the Green Bay Packers.

The modernized stadium features approximately 61,500 blue seats across multiple tiers, along with improved sightlines, expanded concourses, 8,000 club seats, and 133 luxury suites. The preserved colonnades remain a defining architectural element, complemented by a 250-foot granite memorial honoring members of the armed forces. Fans can also access the surrounding promenade, which blends historic and contemporary design elements. Changes since reopening have been limited, though a significantly larger video boards have been added over time.

In recent years, the Bears have explored options for a new stadium. In September 2021, the team reached an agreement to purchase Arlington Park as a potential development site. However, in March 2024, the focus shifted back to the lakefront, with plans for a new domed stadium south of Soldier Field. Despite its relatively recent renovation, the current stadium lacks many of the revenue-generating features found in newer NFL venues. In April 2024, the team announced plans for a new enclosed stadium adjacent to Soldier Field. If completed, most of the existing structure would be demolished, with only the historic colonnades preserved and the surrounding area repurposed into athletic fields. More recently they have discussed building a new stadium in northwest Indiana. The Bears hope to finalize their future home in 2026.

Aerial of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears