Shaded Seating at AT&T Stadium

What You Need to Know About Shade at AT&T Stadium

 

AT&T Stadium, often referred to as “Jerry World,” is the massive, state-of-the-art home of the Dallas Cowboys. Located in Arlington, Texas, this billion-dollar venue sits right between Dallas and Fort Worth and stands as one of the most recognizable structures in professional sports.

With its retractable roof, twin 300-foot arches, and one of the world’s largest high-definition video screens suspended over the field, it was designed to be a premier destination for the NFL, major concerts, and international sporting events, including the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

While the stadium is technically an indoor-outdoor hybrid, it is known for its massive glass end zone walls that allow natural light to flood the interior. Whether the roof is open or closed, choosing the right side of the stadium is the difference between a comfortable afternoon and a three-hour battle with the glare.

How Shade Moves During the Day

The sun’s path at AT&T Stadium is the opposite of many other NFL fields. Most are built with a North-South orientation to minimize sun interference, but Jerry Jones designed his stadium east-west. This means that during afternoon games, the sun doesn’t just pass over the stadium, it pours through the end zone glass walls.

Whether the retractable roof is open or closed, the sun remains a major factor for anyone sitting on the wrong side of the building. For a typical 1:00 PM game, the sun sits high over the south side of the stadium. Because the south wall is a massive solid structure, it casts a deep shadow over the entire south (home) sideline.

As the afternoon progresses, the sun moves toward the west end zone. This is when the “glare period” begins. Between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, the sun aligns perfectly with the west glass windows, sending a horizontal beam of light across the field. This light hits the north sideline and the east end zone directly, making it nearly impossible to see the big screen or the action on the field without sunglasses.

The Best Sections Are on the West and South Sides of Jerry World

If you want to focus on the game rather than shielding your eyes, these are the sections where you can reliably find relief:

• The South Sideline Sections C106 – C115, C206 – C215, C305 – C314, 401 – 424: This is the ultimate shade zone. Because the sun is positioned behind this side of the stadium, the structure acts as a giant umbrella. Even when the roof is open, the “sun hole” is relatively small compared to the size of the stadium, and the south side stays protected.
• The West End Zone Sections 120 – 126, 220 – 226, 321 – 326, 425 – 430: If you prefer end zone seating and watching the game north to south, these end zone seats on the west side of the field will offer shaded protection throughout the game.

Afternoon and Evening Games and the West Window Glare

The most famous (or infamous) part of the AT&T Stadium experience is the late-afternoon sun coming through the west end zone.

If you are sitting in the east end zone (Sections 145-150, 245-250) or along the north sideline (the visitor side), you will be staring directly into this light during the second half of late-afternoon games. Jerry Jones has famously refused to use the curtains for football games, stating that the “elements” are part of the game. If you can’t get seats on the south side or west end, make sure to bring a hat and high-quality polarized sunglasses. You’re going to need them!