What is the seating capacity of Sanford Stadium?

Sanford Stadium seats 93,033 for Georgia Bulldogs football games, making it the 8th largest stadium in the world and the 5th largest in the United States. The record attendance is 93,246, set during the 2019 game against Notre Dame.

Where is Sanford Stadium located?

Sanford Stadium is on Sanford Drive on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia 30602. It sits in a natural ravine between Lumpkin Street and the Oconee River, adjacent to the North Campus Quad, about 70 miles northeast of Atlanta.

How do I get to Sanford Stadium?

On game days, UGA provides free shuttle buses from campus parking areas to the stadium. Athens Transit also runs game-day routes. Most fans drive to Athens and park in campus lots or private neighbourhood lots. There is no rail transit to Athens.

Is there parking at Sanford Stadium?

UGA campus lots cost $20–$40 on game days and fill early. Private lots and residential driveways in surrounding neighbourhoods charge $20–$60 depending on proximity. Carlton Street, River Road, and Lumpkin Street lots are the closest. Arrive early — Athens traffic on game day is severe.

What are the hedges at Sanford Stadium?

The privet hedges were planted in 1929 when the stadium opened. They surround the playing field and give rise to the phrase 'Between the Hedges,' one of the most iconic expressions in college football. The hedges were temporarily removed for the 1996 Olympics but were replanted from cuttings of the originals.

Uga is the English Bulldog mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs, a tradition since 1956. The current mascot is Uga XI. Each Uga sits in an air-conditioned doghouse on the sideline during games. Deceased Ugas are buried in a marble vault in the southwest corner of the stadium — the only on-site mascot mausoleum in American sports.

Has Sanford Stadium hosted the Olympics?

Yes. Sanford Stadium hosted the men's and women's gold-medal football (soccer) matches during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Nigeria won the men's gold, and the United States won the women's gold before over 86,000 fans.

How far is the airport from Sanford Stadium?

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is 76 miles southwest of Athens, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car via US-316 and I-85. Athens-Ben Epps Airport (AHN) is 5 miles east but has limited commercial service. Most visitors fly into Atlanta and drive.

Sanford Stadium, Athens GA - Capacity, History & Complete Visitor Guide

About Sanford Stadium

Sanford Stadium sits in a natural ravine on the University of Georgia campus in Athens — a 93,033-seat colosseum where the Georgia Bulldogs play football Between the Hedges, where Uga the English Bulldog watches from an air-conditioned doghouse on the sideline, and where 93,000 fans dressed in red and black create one of the most intimidating atmospheres in college football.

The stadium has been the home of Georgia football since 1929, when it opened with 30,000 seats funded by a donation from Dr. Steadman V. Sanford. Nearly a century of expansions have transformed it into the 8th largest stadium in the world — a concrete horseshoe that rises out of the ravine between Lumpkin Street and the Oconee River. The privet hedges that surround the playing field were planted the year the stadium opened, and they have defined this place ever since. “Between the Hedges” is more than a phrase — it is the identity of Georgia football.

The Bulldogs’ recent dynasty has made Sanford Stadium the epicentre of college football. Georgia won consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022, and the program under Kirby Smart has turned Athens into the standard for SEC football. On game days, the university and the city merge — downtown Athens fills with tailgaters by 8 a.m., the bars on Clayton Street overflow, and the walk from North Campus through the Arch to the stadium is one of the great traditions in American sports.

Sanford Stadium also hosted the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when the men’s and women’s gold-medal soccer matches were played here before over 86,000 fans. The hedges were temporarily removed for the Olympic pitch and replanted from cuttings afterward — proof that nothing at Sanford Stadium is taken for granted.

Getting to Sanford Stadium

Public Transit

Athens has no rail transit, but UGA operates free shuttle buses on game days that connect campus parking areas to the stadium.

→ Via UGA Gameday Shuttles: Free shuttle buses run from campus parking lots on East Campus Road, South Milledge Avenue, and the intramural fields to gates near the stadium. Service begins 3 hours before kickoff and runs for 1 hour after the game.

→ Via Athens Transit: Athens Transit operates limited game-day routes from park-and-ride locations. Check the Athens Transit website for specific game-day schedules and routes.

There is no practical public transit from Atlanta to Athens. Most visitors drive. On game days, Athens traffic is severe — arrive at least 3 hours before kickoff to park and walk comfortably.

Driving + Parking

The stadium is on Sanford Drive, Athens, GA 30602. The GA-10 Loop (Athens Perimeter) connects to all major approaches.

→ From Atlanta (~70 mi): US-316 East to GA-10 Loop to Lumpkin Street. About 1 hour 15 minutes without traffic, 2+ hours on game day.

→ From Augusta (~100 mi): I-20 West to GA-10 Loop. About 1 hour 45 minutes.

→ From Savannah (~250 mi): I-16 West to I-75 North to GA-316 to GA-10 Loop. About 3 hours 45 minutes.

UGA campus lots cost $20–$40 and fill early. Private neighbourhood lots and driveways on Milledge Avenue, Baxter Street, and Lumpkin Street charge $20–$60. The Carlton Street deck is closest to the stadium. Tailgating is a religion in Athens — arrive early, bring a grill, and walk to the game.

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft operate in Athens but availability is limited on game days due to road closures and demand. Expect $8–$15 from downtown Athens hotels. From Atlanta, rideshare is not practical — the 70-mile distance makes driving your own car or arranging a charter the only viable option.

From the Airport

→ Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL): 76 miles southwest, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car via US-316 and I-85. The world’s busiest airport with service from every major carrier. Rideshare from ATL to Athens runs $90–$130. Rental car is the most practical option.

→ Athens-Ben Epps Airport (AHN): 5 miles east of campus, about 10 minutes by car. Limited commercial service — primarily private aviation. Charter flights are popular for visiting teams and boosters.

History of Sanford Stadium

Sanford Stadium was built in 1929 with a gift from Dr. Steadman V. Sanford, a university professor and administrator who believed Georgia football deserved a dedicated venue. The original 30,000-seat stadium was constructed in a natural ravine, and the privet hedges were planted around the field in the inaugural year — a landscaping decision that would become the defining symbol of Georgia football.

First Game (October 12, 1929): Georgia defeated Yale 15–0 in the stadium’s debut before 30,000 fans. The hedges were already in place, and the Between the Hedges tradition began that day.

Herschel Walker’s Debut (September 6, 1980): Herschel Walker — the most electrifying freshman in college football history — ran over Tennessee’s Bill Bates on a 16-yard touchdown run that announced a new era. Walker led Georgia to a national championship that season and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. Sanford Stadium was his stage.

1996 Atlanta Olympics (July–August 1996): Sanford Stadium hosted the men’s and women’s gold-medal football matches. Nigeria won the men’s gold over Argentina. The United States women defeated China before over 76,000 fans — a watershed moment for women’s football. The hedges were removed for the Olympic pitch and later replanted from cuttings of the originals.

Back-to-Back National Champions (2021–2022): Under Kirby Smart, Georgia won consecutive CFP National Championships — the program’s first titles since 1980. Sanford Stadium became the home of the dominant program in college football, and the gameday atmosphere reached a level not seen since the Herschel Walker era.

The Arch Walk: On game days, fans gather on North Campus and walk through the university’s iconic iron Arch — one of the most photographed landmarks in Georgia — before continuing down Sanford Drive to the stadium. The tradition dates back decades and serves as the unofficial start of every Georgia football Saturday.

From the hedges to Uga to Herschel Walker to the modern dynasty, Sanford Stadium is one of the sacred grounds of American football — a place where nearly a century of tradition, 93,000 voices, and the red and black of Georgia create something no other stadium can replicate.