Yale Bowl
Aerial view of the stadium in 2023 | |
Interactive map of Yale Bowl | |
| Address | 81 Central Avenue |
|---|---|
| Location | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Coordinates | 41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W |
| Owner | Yale University |
| Operator | Yale University |
| Capacity | 61,446 (2006–present)
Former capacity: List
|
| Surface | Field Turf (2019–present) Natural grass (1914–2018) |
| Public transit | 255 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1913 |
| Opened | November 21, 1914 |
| Construction cost | US$750,000 ($24.1 million in 2025) |
| Architect | Charles A. Ferry (Class of 1871) |
| Tenants | |
| Yale Bulldogs (NCAA) 1914–present New York Giants (NFL) 1973–1974 Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL) 1976–1977 | |
| Website | |
| yalebulldogs.com/yale-bowl | |
Yale Bowl | |
| Coordinates | 41°18′47″N 72°57′38″W / 41.31306°N 72.96056°W |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Charles A. Ferry; Sperry Engineering Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000756 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated NHL | February 27, 1987 |
The Yale Bowl is a college football stadium located in New Haven, Connecticut, near the border with West Haven, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The home of the Yale Bulldogs of the Ivy League, it opened 112 years ago in 1914 with 70,896 seats; renovations have reduced its current capacity to 61,446, still making it the second largest stadium in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), behind Nissan Stadium, used by Tennessee State. It is the largest on-campus FCS stadium that is in an automatic qualifying conference for the FCS Playoffs, which the Ivy League has participated in since 2025.
The Yale Bowl inspired the design and naming of the Rose Bowl, from which is derived the name of college football's post-season bowl games and the National Football League's Super Bowl.
In 1973 and 1974, the stadium hosted the New York Giants of the National Football League, as Yankee Stadium was renovated and while Giants Stadium was under construction. The Giants moved to Shea Stadium in 1975 and shared it with fellow NFL team the New York Jets as well as the two Major League Baseball teams in New York, the Mets and Yankees (who were playing at Shea while Yankee Stadium was being renovated), and moved into new Giants Stadium in 1976.