In the 2024 NFL season, average game attendance hit its highest point in two decades, with a league-wide average of 69,555 fans per home game.
According to ESPN’s attendance data compiled in 2024, the Dallas Cowboys once again dominated the rankings, averaging 92,972 fans per game, the only team consistently pushing near six figures.
On the opposite end, the Chicago Bears averaged just 58,649, the lowest figure across the league, largely due to stadium size constraints rather than lack of demand.
League-Wide Trends
🏈 What an incredible start to the @NFL season! With a record-breaking 21 million average viewers per game in the opening week, it’s clear fans are more engaged than ever. @nielsen is excited to continue tracking viewership across platforms all season long. Stay tuned for more…
— Nielsen (@nielsen) September 11, 2024
According to league reports and ESPN data, attendance continues to climb year-over-year, with the NFL averaging more than 17.9 million fans in stadiums across the regular season.
Stadium expansion projects, modern fan experiences, and competitive playoff-caliber teams have all pushed turnout upward.
However, capacity sets the ceiling. AT&T Stadium in Arlington can expand past 100,000 with standing-room tickets, helping the Cowboys stay in first place almost every year.
Meanwhile, Soldier Field in Chicago has one of the smallest capacities in the NFL, leaving the Bears stuck near the bottom, even with strong demand.
2024 NFL Attendance by Team (Home, Road, Overall)
RK
Team
Home Gms
Home Total
Home Avg
Road Gms
Road Total
Road Avg
Overall Gms
Overall Total
Overall Avg
1
Dallas
9
836,749
92,972
8
564,826
70,603
17
1,401,575
82,445
2
NY Giants
9
706,231
78,470
8
567,411
70,926
17
1,273,642
74,920
3
New Orleans
9
630,113
70,012
8
597,048
74,631
17
1,227,161
72,185
4
Baltimore
8
568,423
71,052
9
652,567
72,507
17
1,220,990
71,822
5
Philadelphia
8
559,032
69,879
8
587,773
73,471
16
1,146,805
71,675
6
Denver
8
591,754
73,969
8
554,000
69,250
16
1,145,754
71,609
7
NY Jets
7
551,528
78,789
9
593,347
65,927
16
1,144,875
71,554
8
Green Bay
9
702,030
78,003
8
512,221
64,027
17
1,214,251
71,426
9
Los Angeles Rams
9
658,748
73,194
8
540,273
67,534
17
1,199,021
70,530
10
San Francisco
9
642,803
71,422
8
553,756
69,219
17
1,196,559
70,385
11
Buffalo
8
565,564
70,695
9
627,406
69,711
17
1,192,970
70,174
12
Cincinnati
8
530,355
66,294
9
656,410
72,934
17
1,186,765
69,809
13
Atlanta
9
642,432
71,381
8
542,952
67,869
17
1,185,384
69,728
14
LA Chargers
8
559,732
69,966
9
611,100
67,900
17
1,170,832
68,872
15
Carolina
9
635,515
70,612
8
535,140
66,892
17
1,170,655
68,862
16
Seattle
9
617,945
68,660
8
548,359
68,544
17
1,166,304
68,606
17
Indianapolis
8
526,138
65,767
9
635,545
70,616
17
1,161,683
68,334
18
Tampa Bay
9
573,205
63,689
7
513,584
73,369
16
1,086,789
67,924
19
Miami
8
525,150
65,643
9
628,501
69,833
17
1,153,651
67,861
20
Minnesota
9
596,577
66,286
8
556,932
69,616
17
1,153,509
67,853
21
Detroit
9
584,300
64,922
8
569,030
71,128
17
1,153,330
67,842
22
New England
8
517,078
64,634
9
630,503
70,055
17
1,147,581
67,504
23
Washington
9
570,854
63,428
8
573,054
71,631
17
1,143,908
67,288
24
Arizona
9
575,780
63,975
8
562,631
70,328
17
1,138,411
66,965
25
Las Vegas
8
497,403
62,175
9
625,404
69,489
17
1,122,807
66,047
26
Jacksonville
8
526,117
65,764
9
588,355
65,372
17
1,114,472
65,557
27
Chicago
9
527,841
58,649
8
548,165
68,520
17
1,076,006
63,294
28
Cleveland
8
541,808
—
9
592,868
—
17
1,134,676
—
29
Tennessee
8
518,556
—
9
590,164
—
17
1,108,720
—
30
Kansas City
8
441,559
—
9
632,634
—
17
1,074,193
—
31
Pittsburgh
8
535,045
—
9
616,362
—
17
1,151,407
—
32
Houston
8
570,666
—
9
565,946
—
17
1,136,612
—
According to ESPN’s official 2024 attendance report, the Dallas Cowboys once again set the benchmark, drawing nearly 93,000 fans per home game at AT&T Stadium, while also topping 1.4 million total fans across the season when home and away games are combined.
Their dominance reflects not just fan loyalty but also the unique size and flexibility of their stadium, which can accommodate standing-room crowds above its base seating capacity.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Chicago Bears averaged just 58,649 fans per home game, the lowest in the league. This figure isn’t reflective of a lack of demand but rather Soldier Field’s limited capacity, which has been a long-standing point of debate in Chicago. Plans for a future new stadium could change their standing dramatically.
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Other key takeaways from the table include:
This NFL spreads highlights a defining truth about its attendance: while team popularity plays a role, stadium capacity and market size are often the biggest determining factors.
Some of the most loyal fan bases, like Buffalo’s and Green Bay’s, don’t crack the top three simply because their stadiums are capped at smaller capacities.
Regional Breakdown
Looking at the numbers geographically gives a clearer picture of how attendance reflects both tradition and market dynamics.
- Midwest: The Green Bay Packers continue to shine with more than 78,000 fans per game, a remarkable feat for the league’s smallest market. The Kansas City Chiefs also draw strong crowds at around 73,000, reflecting both recent success and a deeply rooted fan culture. In contrast, the Chicago Bears remain near the bottom of the table – not because of weak support, but because Soldier Field’s limited capacity holds them back.
- East Coast: The New York Giants and New York Jets stand out as true outliers. Sharing MetLife Stadium, they each average close to 79,000 fans per game, putting both franchises in the top five league-wide. Few other East Coast teams can match that scale, highlighting the unique size of the New York market.
- South: Southern teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, and New Orleans Saints consistently draw 70,000–71,000 fans per game. This consistency shows how football is embedded in Southern culture, with fan bases that remain loyal regardless of ups and downs on the field.
- West Coast: The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers lead the way with more than 70,000 per game, showing the strength of California’s football presence. The Los Angeles Chargers, at just under 70,000, reflect the challenge of sharing a massive market with the Rams, where attention and loyalty are divided between two teams.
Conclusion
@jomboymediafootball Highest home game attendance average in the 2024 season #nfl #football #sports #fyp #attendance #fans ♬ original sound – Jomboy Media Football
NFL remains unmatched in live sports appeal, with every franchise attracting well over a million fans across the season and a league-wide average above 69,000 per game.
The Dallas Cowboys dominate the league numerically, but the broader picture shows that nearly every team fills its venue close to capacity.
Market size and stadium design, more than raw fan enthusiasm, often determine where a team falls on the attendance ladder.
From the packed terraces of Lambeau Field to the sprawling crowds at AT&T Stadium, the 2024 season reinforced one central truth: the NFL is not just a game, it’s a weekly national gathering.
Whether in small towns like Green Bay or global hubs like New York and Los Angeles, football continues to unite millions in person, making it the most powerful live sports product in the United States.
