Quick answers
What time do the Northwest Stadium lots open?
4 hours before kickoff. The RedZone Lot opens 5 hours before. Lots close 2 hours after the game, and tailgating ends at kickoff.
Can you grill at Northwest Stadium?
Yes. Put it out before you go in, dump ash in the ash dumpsters around the lots, and never put a hot grill in or under a vehicle.
Can you drink at Commanders tailgates?
The tailgating policy has no alcohol rule of its own, but public drunkenness is prohibited. Inside, alcohol is sold to guests 21 and over with photo ID, 2 drinks per purchase.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate?
Yes. Everyone in the lots needs a ticket or a parking pass for that day's event. Anyone still in the lots without a ticket after kickoff is trespassing.
How do you buy parking?
Ahead of time on SeatGeek. A pass is good for one spot, in the lot printed on it. The only day-of option is the cash-only Gray Lot, and it can sell out 2 to 3 hours before the game.
Where to park
Buy parking before you leave the house. Your pass is good for one spot, in the lot printed on it.
- RedZone
- The stadium's preferred tailgating lot. Opens 5 hours before kickoff, with wider spaces for bigger vehicles.
- Gold
- Lots A, D, E, F, G and H
- Black
- Lots A, E and F
- Burgundy
- Lots D, F, G and H. No tailgating in H-Burgundy.
- Gray (cash)
- Day of only, first come, first served. Turn left onto Brightseat Road before the main lots. It can sell out 2 to 3 hours before the game.
- Bus / RV
- Bus/RV pass, entering from Sean Taylor Road. Vehicles 17 x 7 feet and up need it.
- Accessible
- Lots E, F and H, with a state placard or plate plus a prepaid pass. First come, first served.
Put the lot's name into Waze, not the stadium.
The stadium suggests arriving about 3 hours before kickoff. Show up 30 minutes out and you'll hit heavy traffic and full lots.
No car? Morgan Boulevard is the Metro stop (Blue and Silver lines), about a 1-mile, 20-minute walk, with no shuttle. Rideshare drops off at the Sports & Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Rd, and picks up at the back of the RedZone Lot.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against northweststadium.com and commanders.com.
Washington's policy is strict and specific, and the kickoff rule is the one that bites.
- Grills
- Allowed. Put it out before you go in. Ash goes in the ash dumpsters, and a hot grill never goes in or under a vehicle.
- Alcohol
- No lot-specific rule, but public drunkenness is out. Inside: 21 and over, photo ID, 2 drinks per purchase.
- Tents
- Tents, canopies, umbrellas and tarps come down before you go in.
- Your space
- One spot per pass. Nothing in drive lanes, crosswalks, unloading areas or open spaces.
- Who's allowed
- Everyone in the lots needs a ticket or a parking pass for that day's event.
- Not allowed
- Drones. Selling food, drinks or merch without written approval.
- When it ends
- Tailgating ends at kickoff. Lots close 2 hours after the game.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch about 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
- Gates open
- Times vary by event and are posted on each event's page.
Before you go
Northwest Stadium parkingCommanders tailgating policyClear bag policyPublic transit and rideshare2026 parking map (PDF)Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Landover
What we'd bring.
-
Washington Commanders 3x5 Flag
$29.99
Ships free
Your team's 3x5 flag with metal grommets. Hang it and your crew finds your spot in the lot.
-
Sampler, 8 Rubs
$47.99
Ships free
Eight rubs in one box, so the grill gets a new one every Saturday. It's the seasoning we use.
More for this lot
-
Taiga 55 qt Hard Cooler, 60 Cans$299 · Ships free
-
Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free
Where the party is
There's no all-day hang in Landover. The lots open 4 hours out and everything packs up at kickoff, so the tailgates here start early and run tight.
The head start
The RedZone Lot
The stadium calls it the preferred lot for tailgating. It opens an hour before the rest, and the spaces are wider.
The big footprint
The Gold lots
Gold passes cover six lots ringing the stadium, more than any other pass.
The gamble
The Gray Lot
Cash, day of, first come. When it fills, you're in third-party lots the stadium doesn't run, so have a plan B.
What to eat
Cook thisWhat to cook at a tailgate (that survives the lot)Getting out
The Beltway after a sellout is a parking lot with a speed limit. Your options, best first:
- Take Metro. Morgan Boulevard is a 20-minute walk. After the game, Morgan Boulevard and Downtown Largo are the only stations open for entry.
- Rideshare from the RedZone. Exit at Gate A and follow the signs to the Rideshare Lot at the back of the RedZone Lot, about a 5-minute walk.
- Wait it out. Lots stay open 2 hours after the game. Sit tight and let the Beltway clear before you merge.
Skip this
Merge onto the Beltway with everyone else. Don't.
First time here?
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Start in the RedZone Lot, where the tailgating starts earliest.
Free · one page · works offline
Your Northwest Stadium game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
We don't sell your email.
