Shaded Seats at U.S. Bank Stadium

What You Need to Know About Shade at U.S. Bank Stadium

Located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Bank Stadium is the striking, translucent indoor home of the Minnesota Vikings. Opened in 2016, its jagged, angular exterior is built to mimic Nordic longboats and dramatic lake ice formations.

Instead of a traditional retractable roof which would freeze over in harsh Midwestern winters, the stadium features the first major translucent ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) roof in the United States.

This space-age material allows fans to experience an outdoor atmosphere with full climate control. However, it lets in so much natural light that fans on the visitor’s side frequently need sunglasses inside a domed stadium.

The South Sideline Is Best For Shade

The northwest-to-southeast orientation of the stadium means the sun tracks behind the south (home) side toward the evening. Because of this, you want to prioritize the south sideline and covered seating.

• Sections 126, 128, 130, 131, 133, 135: Securing seats behind the Vikings bench ensures that the solar glare shining through the ETFE roof stays behind your head rather than directly in your eyes. The rows directly in front (like sections 127, 129, 132, and 134) may still be in the sun until well in the later afternoon.

• Sections 334 – 349 & 227 – 241: Choosing the upper rows on the south side has some of the earliest relief during a standard noon kickoff, as the stadium structure casts a descending shadow from back to front.

• Sections 301 – 314: Sitting high on the visitor side places you completely under the protection of the solid, opaque roof deck, avoiding the sun entirely. You should be in the top 5-10 rows here.

Late Afternoon And Evening

As a noon kickoff crosses into the late afternoon or a 4:00 PM game gets underway, the sun drops lower toward the western horizon. The shadow line completely blanketing the Vikings sideline stretches across the field, offering total shade to the southern half of the bowl.

Meanwhile, the sun pushes directly through the massive glass pivoting doors on the west side. This creates an intense late-day glare that strikes the southeast endzone and moving up into the lower visitor tiers.