California Memorial Stadium
California Memorial Stadium is a college football stadium in Berkeley, California, home of the California Golden Bears, who play in the ACC of NCAA Division I FBS. It opened in 1923, making it 103 years old in 2026 and seats 62,467 fans. It ranks 6th of 17 in the ACC by capacity.
The team plays on artificial turf. Its record crowd is 83,000 vs. Navy (1947).
Stadium facts
- Location
- Berkeley, California
- Home of
- California Golden Bears
- School
- University of California, Berkeley
- Conference
- ACC
- Subdivision
- Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
- Opened
- 1923
- Capacity
- 62,467
- Playing surface
- Artificial turf
- Former names
- Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium (2013-2017)
FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium (2021-2022) - Record crowd
- 83,000 vs. Navy (1947)
- Size rank in FBS
- 34th of 138
Famous games at California Memorial Stadium
- Inaugural Big Game: Cal 9, Stanford 0 (1923)
- Raiders end Dolphins' 18-game win streak, 12-7 (1973)
- Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan, International Champions Cup (2014)
Game day
Tradition. Fans gather on Tightwad Hill above the east side to watch for free, especially during the Big Game against Stanford.
Seating & views
Cal's 1923 stadium holds 62,467, but with four southern sections tarped since 2022 its working capacity is about 52,400. It sits in Strawberry Canyon in two halves split by the Hayward Fault. The west side was rebuilt in 2010 to 2012 with three club levels and a new press box on top, and the field was lowered four feet. The east side, built into the hill, was largely untouched. Upper rows look out over San Francisco Bay, and fans watch free from Tightwad Hill above the east side. The Black Bear, a section run with the Raiders' Black Hole fan group, sits in the south end zone.
Parking & tailgating
Parking near the stadium is scarce, so Cal pushes transit. UC lots, including Lower Hearst, Genetics Garage, Lower Sproul and Bancroft structures, sell single-game passes for a $75 flat rate, card only, while downtown garages like Center Street, Oxford and Telegraph-Channing set their own rates. Free gameday shuttles run from Downtown Berkeley BART and the UC lots, starting about 2.5 hours before kickoff, with drop-offs a 5 to 10 minute walk away. Roads around the stadium close up to four hours before the game. Oski's Village on Memorial Glade is the free pregame hub, opening three hours out. Check Cal's football gameday parking and transportation page.
Seating and parking sources: calbears.com, en.wikipedia.org, calbears.com.
Plan your trip to California Memorial Stadium
Stadiums near California Memorial Stadium10
- 1FBSStanford Stadium — Stanford Cardinal 32 mi
- 2FBSCEFCU Stadium — San Jose State Spartans 44 mi
- 3FCSUC Davis Health Stadium — UC Davis Aggies 55 mi
- 4FBSHornet Stadium — Sacramento State Hornets 65 mi
- 5FBSValley Children's Stadium — Fresno State Bulldogs 161 mi
- 6FBSMackay Stadium — Nevada Wolf Pack 175 mi
- 7FCSMustang Memorial Field — Cal Poly Mustangs 201 mi
- 8FBSRose Bowl Stadium — UCLA Bruins 346 mi
- 9FBSLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum — USC Trojans 347 mi
- 10FBSAutzen Stadium — Oregon Ducks 430 mi
Questions about California Memorial Stadium
Where do the California Golden Bears play home games?
The California Golden Bears play at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California.
How many people does California Memorial Stadium hold?
California Memorial Stadium has a capacity of 62,467.
When did California Memorial Stadium open?
California Memorial Stadium opened in 1923.
What is the attendance record at California Memorial Stadium?
The record crowd at California Memorial Stadium is 83,000 vs. Navy (1947).
Does California Memorial Stadium have grass or turf?
California Memorial Stadium has an artificial turf field.
What other college football stadiums are near California Memorial Stadium?
Stanford Stadium in Stanford is about 32 miles away. See the full list of nearby stadiums on this page.
Facts are for the 2026 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your stadium? Get the “Listed on All Football Stadiums” badge for your website.