New Highmark Stadium: The Complete Fan Guide
Everything you need to know before a Bills home game: parking, tailgating, gates and entry, the bag policy, and how to get there.
Highmark Stadium is the Buffalo Bills’ new home, at 10 Bills Plaza in Orchard Park, New York. It opened on June 23, 2026, with a capacity of 63,000 (60,108 seats plus 2,892 standing room). It was known as New Highmark Stadium during construction, and some ticket listings, including StubOrder’s, still use that name.
About Highmark Stadium
Highmark Stadium replaced the old Highmark Stadium on the same Orchard Park site. Groundbreaking took place on June 5, 2023, and the new building opened on June 23, 2026, with the 2026 season as its first. The $2.2 billion project was designed by Populous, is owned by the State of New York, and is operated by Legends Hospitality.
The playing surface is natural Kentucky bluegrass, and the seating capacity of 60,108 makes it the smallest stadium in the NFL by seats, with a total capacity of 63,000 including standing room. The naming rights are held by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the full official name is Highmark BlueCross BlueShield Stadium.
If you are shopping for tickets, you will see the venue listed as New Highmark Stadium on StubOrder and other marketplaces. That is the same building: the “New” name dates from the construction phase, and listings have not all caught up with the final name.
Driving and Road Closures
The stadium address is 10 Bills Plaza in Orchard Park, New York, just west of Buffalo. On game days, Abbott Road closes to all vehicle traffic six hours before kickoff, between Bills Drive and the NFTA Transportation Hub, and Big Tree Road (Route 20A) has postgame one-way closures on each side of the campus.
If the main lots are sold out, additional fan parking is available in the neighborhood parking lots, including the former ECC South Campus. Those lots do not require an advance permit, and fans enter the campus from Southwestern Boulevard or Big Tree Road.
How Parking Works
Every Bills-controlled lot requires an advance purchase pass, and there are no day-of-game sales except for authorized accessible parking. A pass is valid only for the lot printed on it, allows one car per space, and is not refunded except for event cancellations.
The lots are color named: Blue, Bronze, Gold, Green, Gray, Orange, Platinum, and White, plus Blue ADA and White ADA accessible lots. Parking lots open four hours before kickoff and close two hours after the game. Spaces are not pre-assigned: staff direct you to a spot, and reserving a space is not permitted.
Accessible parking in the Blue ADA and White ADA lots is first-come, first-served and cashless, with no advance permits. The RV lot opens at 8:00 AM the day before a home game and has no day-of entry, and the bus and limo lot requires a pass bought in advance through the Bills ticket office.
Tailgating Rules
Each parking space is a 9 ft by 18 ft stall with a 9 ft by 10 ft tailgating area behind it, and all tailgating must fit within that space. Tailgating ends at kickoff, when everyone enters the stadium with their ticket, and your area must be left clean when you go in.
Allowed in the tailgating area:
- Tents, as long as they do not block emergency lanes or take adjacent spaces
- Natural gas and propane grills
- Charcoal grills and open fires raised at least six inches off the ground, with coals fully extinguished before you enter
- Plastic or non-breakable cups and cans
- Food prepared for your own group
- Personal-sized sound systems, such as a small Bluetooth speaker
Not allowed:
- Stakes or anything driven into the ground
- Glass containers and bottles
- Wood stoves, oil fryers, and other cooking stations
- Drones and remote-controlled aircraft
- Megaphones, air horns, and amplified sound at excessive volume
- Weapons, including toy guns and costume weapons
- Selling items or soliciting in the lots
Gates and Entry
Highmark Stadium has seven gates, lettered A through G, that give access to the secure perimeter, and eleven numbered entries, 1 through 11, that lead into the building. Security gates open three hours before kickoff, and ticket entries open two hours before. Your ticket is scanned as you enter, so only ticket holders get in.
The bag policy allows one clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a clutch purse no larger than 6.5" x 4.5", and the Bills encourage fans to skip bags entirely. Add your ticket to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before you arrive, so you are not hunting for a signal at the gate.
Getting There by Transit
If you would rather not drive, the NFTA runs Game Day Express buses on Bills home game days. Routes, timing, and policies are posted on the NFTA Game Day Express page. The NFTA Transportation Hub sits at the edge of the stadium campus along Abbott Road.
What to Expect Inside
The stadium is fully cashless: every point of sale, including the 50/50 raffle, takes cards and mobile wallets, and cash is not accepted anywhere. It is also a smoke-free facility with no re-entry, so plan accordingly.
Before kickoff, the pregame plaza between Gates C and D runs a mini field, photo ops, music, and sponsor activations. Food markets open on the 100 and 300 levels, and an interactive 3D map helps you find your section and the amenities around it. Drones are prohibited within two miles of the stadium from four hours before an event until four hours after.
Where This Information Comes From
- Buffalo Bills: Game Day at Highmark Stadium
- Buffalo Bills: Highmark Stadium Parking
- Wikipedia: Highmark Stadium
- TheHighmarkStadium.com
Last updated: October 1, 2026
Highmark Stadium Questions
Do I need to buy parking in advance for a Bills game?
Yes. Every Highmark Stadium parking lot requires an advance purchase pass, and there are no day-of-game cash or card sales except for authorized accessible parking. Your pass is valid only for the lot printed on it.
Can I tailgate at Highmark Stadium?
Yes. Each parking space includes a tailgating area behind the vehicle, and all tailgating must fit within that space. Tailgating ends at kickoff, when everyone enters the stadium with their ticket. Tents, gas and propane grills, and small Bluetooth speakers are all allowed within the rules.
What bags can I bring into the stadium?
One clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12", or a clutch purse no larger than 6.5" x 4.5". The Bills encourage fans to skip bags entirely, which is the fastest way through the gates.
What time should I arrive on game day?
Parking lots open four hours before kickoff, security gates open three hours before, and ticket entries open two hours before. Arriving inside the gate window is the usual plan, and having your mobile ticket ready speeds things up.
Is Highmark Stadium cashless?
Yes. Every point of sale in the stadium, including the 50/50 raffle, is cashless. Debit and credit cards and mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay all work.
How do I get to the stadium without driving?
The NFTA runs Game Day Express buses on Bills home game days. Routes, timing, and policies are posted on the NFTA Game Day Express page.
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