The best domed/retractable-roof stadiums of all time

If we want to get official, it's the Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center. The indoor stadium for the University of Idaho Vandals football team, as well as tennis, track and field and soccer, the Kibbie Dome has been around for nearly 50 years. And, it's still a highly serviceable campus facility. There aren't any noticeable bells and whistles to brag about, but it's unique for the setting and environment of the area and offers a strong home-field advantage for the Vandals. 

Legendary NFL coach Mike Ditka dubbed the famed home of the Minnesota Vikings and Twins the "Rollerdome," for its expansive and somewhat bland landscape and interior. Complete with its fiberglass fabric roof that was supported by air pressure, it made sense for a domed stadium to handle the often harsh Twin Cities weather — which even caused the Metrodome roof to deflate on a few occasions. The place could get loud, perhaps none more so then when the Twins made their runs to win the World Series in both 1987 and '91. The Metrodome also played host to two Final Fours and a Super Bowl.

The first covered stadium to introduce the aforementioned fiberglass fabric roof, the Silverdome had charm — one just had to look deeper to find it beyond the obvious landscape. Sure, it was dark and had an almost warehouse-like feel to it, but it made plenty of memories of its host of residents, notably the Detroit Lions and Detroit Pistons. It hosted Super Bowl XVI amid the frigid conditions outside and WrestleMania III, where roughly 78,000 spectators saw Hulk Hogan memorably beat Andre the Giant to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship

It certainly makes sense to have a covered sports stadium in rainy Seattle. The Kingdome was a classic. Not the prettiest of places, but the wavy-looking exterior and generic atmosphere is still special old-school sports fans, and not just those from the Pacific Northwest. Home to the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle SuperSonics for several years, the Kingdome also hosted indoor soccer matches, three Final Fours and even a Pro Bowl. It's where Bo Jackson ran 91 yards through the end zone and nearly out of the building, Dave Parker threw out Brian Downing at the plate in the 1979 MLB All-Star Game and Ken Griffey Jr. became a legend. 

Back when the SkyDome opened in the late 1980s as home to the Toronto Blue Jays and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, it was an engineering marvel, with its retractable roof and modern-day amenities, which includes a hotel. (That can be a good or bad thing, depending on if the drapes in the room are closed.) Today, the stadium — under its current name — is past its due date. Though upgrades have been made, the field surface still has that enclosed-dome feel, and the overall fan experience does not offer the same real-time needs as other stadiums around Major League Baseball. Yet, it's worth a visit — located next to the CN Tower — for those who have never been.

BC Place has been around for more than 40 years and has stood the test of time quite well. Upon completion, the roof of the Vancouver stadium was air-supported. Then, after a renovation that followed the venue's participation in the 2010 Winter Olympics, a retractable roof was installed and the stadium became brighter and more attractive to the eye. In addition to hosting the CFL's BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps FC of MLS, BC Place was the site of 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup matches — including the championship match — and will do the same for the 2026 men's event.

The main venue for the U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Ashe Stadium has truly become one of the best places to watch the sport in the world. With a capacity of 23,771, it's also the largest international tennis stadium. The venue opened in 1997 and was more than serviceable for years. However, the most important update that made the stadium an elite facility was the installation of a retractable roof in 2016, thus eliminating those lengthy rain and weather delays that seemed to consistently hinder the event.

The 'Tokyo Big Egg' is reminiscent of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, though more attractive and fan-friendly considering it's the centerpiece of an entertainment and tourist-area complex. The Tokyo Dome is made for baseball, and plays host, predominantly, to the Yomiuri Giants. Since 2000, however, several Major League Baseball teams have held a series and NFL preseason contests been played at the Tokyo Dome. Complete with its air-supported roof, it's a fixture in the city as a multi-purpose venue that has also hosted professional wrestling and concerts, just to name a few other events. 

The first of three covered stadiums located in Houston that we'll profile. The home of the Houston Astros is one of the more creative and unique ballparks ever designed. Located in downtown, with its retractable roof and the train tracks beyond the top of the left-field seats, Minute Maid has its charm. It’s also quite hitter-friendly down the lines, especially with the Crawford Boxes and the 19-foot wall in left. The days of Tal’s Hill and the flagpole in center field are gone, but it’s still over 400 feet to get one out to that part of the yard.

The home of the Milwaukee Brewers, complete with its clam-shaped retractable roof, this might be the most underrated park in baseball — on and off the field. It’s a relatively fair park in terms of how both pitchers and hitters alike view the dimensions and overall playing surface. For the fan, it’s a real gem. It’s easy to get in and out, a haven for tailgaters, and fans can still watch the game while walking around the main-level concourse. Oh yeah, there's also Bernie Brewer’s slide in left field and the famous in-game Sausage Race. In recent years, the park has followed the trend of other MLB venues by hosting concerts. 

Catering to the trend of multi-purpose stadiums in the NFL, the current home of the Houston Texans is quite large, but still rather cozy. It can seat more than 72,000 for a Texans game (and approximately 80,000 for other events). Of course, the stadium’s best feature is its mammoth retractable roof, which is essentially a standard when it comes to building any new, massive multi-purpose stadium in this day and age. The place has also hosted two Super Bowls, the 2024 College Football Playoff Championship Game and is slated to feature matches of the 2016 FIFA World Cup. 

There is a lot to like about the Arizona Cardinals’ home, whether as a player or fan. Not only is the roof retractable, but the playing surface is as well, since the venue is used for various sports and events (like hosting the 2024 Final Four). It’s kind of spaceship-looking on the outside, but once inside the venue offers one of the best and most comfortable fan experiences in all of sports. In addition to hosting the Cardinals, the stadium is the annual site of the Fiesta Bowl, and has housed three Super Bowls and several international soccer matches, as well as the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship.

It's far from the prettiest or most attractive enclosed stadium in the world, but Stade Olympique has a certain charm and je ne sais quoi that secures a spot on our list. The longtime home of MLB's Montreal Expos and CFL's Montreal Alouettes, the stadium was built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, though the retractable roof and adjacent tower weren't completed until the mid-to-late 1980s. It can seat roughly 73,000, but nearly 50,000 for baseball. Sure, the flying saucer exterior, cavernous atmosphere and those yellow seats and terrible playing surface are far from appealing. Not to mention, it's been a financial and structural problem for the city for decades, and especially since the Expos relocated to Washington D.C. in 2004. Still, the memories of baseball in Montreal are still quite vivid and special.

Formerly known as the Carrier Dome. A total of 35,642 people watched a single Syracuse basketball game (vs. Duke in 2019) at the largest domed campus stadium in the country. When the Orange are struggling, the arena can look cavernous with empty seats, but it's still pretty cool to have a domed stadium on a college campus. The likes of Dwayne "Pearl" Washington and Carmelo Anthony have starred here, making it a one-of-a-kind experience for the college basketball fan. Not to mention, Donovan McNabb had some pretty good days there while starring for the Syracuse football team.

The home of the Indianapolis Colts is simply huge (up to 70,000 depending on the event), but offers a pleasant experience for fans. It has that fieldhouse vibe, though the upper seats might be a tad high (especially when housing a basketball game), but the seating is plentiful and the atmosphere vibrant — especially when the Colts are playing well. Not to mention, the surrounding area in downtown Indianapolis is filled with plenty of entertainment, food and drink options that make for a great experience regardless of the event.

Technically, the home of the North Dakota State Bison is not an actual dome. It can probably best be described as an oversized arena that can seat in the neighborhood of 18,000 football fans. With a record nine FCS national championships, NDSU has long been a college football juggernaut at that level, and the Fargodome, which opened for business in 1992, has played a major part in that success. The building can get loud, even if not at full capacity. The Bison's rabid home fans, decked in green and yellow, tend to stand most of the game, and their voices are usually shot when the final whistle blows.

The city of Detroit did a fine job in bringing the home of the Lions downtown, thus helping revitalize the area. It's not a stretch to say that Ford Field is one of the more underrated venues in the NFL, and all of sports for that matter. Having an indoor stadium within spitting distance of Canada in November and December is beneficial for host and opponents alike. Plus, fans can walk the spacious concourse and still see the action on the field. The beer selection isn’t bad, either. Now that the Lions are good, the Ford Field atmosphere is even more appealing.

As has been noted, we have an affinity for the old-school domes, those gaudy steel structures that at the time were state-of-art, but today seem well past their prime. That said, when it comes to the Superdome, which opened in 1975, its survival is an important part of the building's legacy. The fact the old dome is still standing is remarkable, and a symbol of the city’s strength following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Like the city of New Orleans, the Superdome survived damage sustained from the storm and was renovated to revive itself as a venue. In addition to being the home of the New Orleans Saints (as one of the best home-field advantages in all of sports), the dome continues to host Super Bowls, the Sugar Bowl, College Football Playoff games and been the site of several Final Fours.

Better known as Millennium Stadium, this national stadium is home to the Wales national rugby union team and Wales national football team, and is quite the site to behold. Located on the banks of the River Taff, the stadium has remained sturdy and dependable after all these years. It can seat upwards of 78,000 depending on the event, and is the second-largest stadium in the world that features a retractable roof. The stadium is also known for its fan-friendly amenities, including some state-of-art pubs. 

The Twin Cities did good when it come to moving on from the antiseptic Metrodome. With just over a $1 billion price tag, U.S. Bank Stadium seems well worth the money spent. The venue has everything for fans to enjoy, provides a tremendous home-field advantage for the Minnesota Vikings and a daunting task for the opposition, all while keeping everyone comfortable on those particularly brutal late fall and winter days in Minnesota  The exterior glass is a nice touch, and appealing to the eye. If the sun is shining on game day, the natural light emanating from the roof and walls is truly something special.

From the outside, Allegiant Stadium looks like something out of Star Wars, which seems why Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis called the team's current home the "Death Star." Adorned in a glossy black finish, the stadium is both imposing and beautiful. There’s a 95-foot Al Davis Memorial Torch and the venue is topped by a translucent roof. Plus, for those who don't like to be stuck inside, the stadium is equipped with massive sliding doors that open up to face the famed Las Vegas Strip. Easily the ideal place for any NFL fan to visit when their team is in town.

A vast improvement over the Georgia Dome, which served its purpose well. Complete with a state-of-the-art 360-degree video screen and perhaps the most unique retractable roof of any sports venue in the world, the residence of the Atlanta Falcons is something special. It has what any fan needs to feel comfortable when taking in a game, whether the Falcons, Atlanta United FC or the Peach Bowl. The stadium is also known for its reasonably priced food and drink options, which is impressive considering it cost more than $1.5 billion to build.

As we know, things are usually bigger in Texas. When it comes to all-purpose stadiums, the home of the Dallas Cowboys — often known as "Jerry World" — is no exception. In fact, it might be over the top. Then again, would we expect anything less from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones? From the mammoth video screen that stretches nearly the entire field to the 80,000-seating capacity, this retractable-roof venue is truly a sight to behold. Whether taking in a Cowboys game, college football contest (it's also the home of the Cotton Bowl), concert or monster truck rally, the stadium outside Dallas truly has everything for those on the playing surface or in the seats. 

A nod to history. The OG. Houston's Astrodome was the first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium in the world. It was also the first to have an artificial-turf playing surface — appropriately known as AstroTurf. Home to the Houston Astros and Houston Oilers, the Astrodome was dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Elvis Presley played a series of concerts there, as well as Tejano superstar Selena, and Houston's men's basketball team beat mighty UCLA in "The Game of Century" from 1968 in front of a then-record crowd for a basketball game. From the skylights on the roof to the gunslinging graphics on the massive scoreboard, the Astrodome is a major part of American iconography even while sitting essentially abandoned to this day.

For an estimated $5.5 billion, the Los Angeles area got what's possibly the greatest stadium ever built. Located on the site of the old Hollywood Park racetrack, SoFi is like a community in itself. Home to both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, it's a far cry from the Los Angeles Coliseum. Between the translucent fixed roof, party decks, numerous palm trees and the enormous, unmatched Oculus video board, SoFi is simply beautiful. As time goes on, it's expected that SoFi will the centerpiece of a massive entertainment complex (and is slated to host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Summer Olympics). For the time being, it has something for every level of fan to enjoy.