Shaded Seating at Allianz Field

What You Need to Know About Shade at Allianz Field

Allianz Field is the soccer-specific home of Minnesota United FC, opened in 2019 in St. Paul. The stadium is famous for its 360-degree PTFE mesh skin, which is designed to look like flowing water during the day and can glow with colors mimicking the Northern Lights at night.

Unlike older multi-purpose stadiums, Allianz Field was built specifically for soccer, meaning seats are as close as 17 feet from the pitch, creating an incredibly intimate and loud environment, especially in the steeply raked “Wonderwall” section.

How Shade Works Here

Allianz Field is oriented North-to-South, which is the MLS standard for soccer-specific stadiums to minimize the sun shining directly into players’ eyes.

For a 1:00 PM game, the sun is positioned nearly above the south goal. As the afternoon progresses, the sun tracks toward the west. Because the west sideline stands are situated between the sun and the pitch, the stadium’s west side structure casts a shadow across the field. By a 7:00 PM kickoff, the entire west side is in deep shade, while fans on the east side are looking directly into the setting sun.

The West Side and South Sides are Best for Shade

To ensure you aren’t squinting through the first half of a match, the west side should be your first choice.

• Sections 27 – 37: These are the prime “shade” seats on the lower level. Except for the very first few rows closest to the grass, these seats stay cool throughout the afternoon.

• Sections 128 – 136: Almost all upper-level seats behind the first 7 rows feature full or partial cover from the ring roof.

• The Wonderwall (South End): This section gets shade early in the afternoon, but be prepared: it is a standing-only section with a high-energy atmosphere that encourages jumping, singing, and dancing for your club!

• Stadium Club and Suites: These premium seats have outdoor seating that is protected by the roof overhang. There is also a climate-controlled indoor area if it’s too hot.

Late Afternoon and Evening Games

In the late afternoon, the shade line moves east across the pitch. By 4:00 PM, the west sideline is fully shaded, and the shadow begins to creep onto the grass.

For evening games (7:00 PM starts), the sun is low and intense. This is when the east side Upper Deck (sections 108 – 118) becomes the most difficult place to sit, as fans are staring straight into the sunset. If you have seats here for an evening match, a hat with a brim and sunglasses are mandatory equipment to see the action on the field.