Shaded Seats at Audi Field

Audi Field is a soccer-specific stadium in Washington, DC. Even though it was built primarily for Major League Soccer, D.C. United now shares their home with the Washington Spirit, D.C. Defenders and DC Power. It’s located a short walk from Nationals Park and a great venue to see a game. However Washington DC summers get brutally hot and humid. As an open-air stadium you can use this guide to identify where the shaded seats at Audi Field are located.

Where are the seats in the shade and sun at Audi Field?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Audi Field are located:

• West Sideline: Shaded in the afternoon and evening
• 200-Level: Early afternoon shade in parts of the 200-level under the roof

And the seats in the sun at Audi Field are located:

• East Sideline: Sunny from early afternoon to sunset
• Goal Lines: Sun soaked behind the north and south goal lines

Most games at Audi Field kick off in the evening, though there are plenty of occasional day games mixed in too. Even if you’re planning to attend an evening game, the long summer days in Washington DC mean you need to be aware of the position of the sun no matter the start time.

Audi Field Orientation to the Sun

Audi Field is oriented in a north to south direction. By noon the sun is high in the sky southeast of the stadium. Over the course of the afternoon the sun dips down behind the west side of the stadium and eventually sets closer to the north goal line.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on July 1st.

Click or tap to see a seating chart for the next event at Audi Field

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Audi Field Games Before 1:00pm

Games at Audi Field occasionally start quite early. Solar noon in Washington, DC, is around 1:00 PM throughout the summer—this is when the sun peaks and transitions from “rising” to “setting.” Before solar noon, the shade orientation is flipped, meaning that seats on the east side of the stadium start in the shade and seats on the west side start in the sun. However, as the game progresses, more seats will get a blast of sun until only those under solar noon when only those under direct cover are shaded.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Afternoon Audi Field Games

Audi Field is designed with roofs that cover the stands on the east and west sides of the stadium. For a day game you’ll want to avoid sitting behind either of the goal lines if you are trying to stay out of the sun. Audi is a stadium with asymmetric seating. There are more seats on the east side than on the west. However, fans who choose the east side are likely to battle the sun throughout the game. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen if you choose a seat here.

To avoid the sun, buy a ticket in sections 123-131. For an early afternoon game the back half of these sections should be shaded thanks to the roof. For a later afternoon game the entirety of these sections should be out of the sun. For an early afternoon game the sections 201-210 should also be shaded thanks to their location under the roof. However be careful with these for a later afternoon game as the sun will be shining directly into your eyes as you try to watch the action on the field.

By 3:00pm sections on the west side of the stadium (across the field) are fully shaded while sections on the east side (where the photo is taken) and behind the goal lines are squarely in the sun.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Evening Audi Field Games

There are many more choices for seats in the shade for an evening game. Sections 123-131 will be completely shaded by this time of day. Goal line sections 117-122 will also get some shade as the sun dips behind the stadium. The standing room only supporters section behind the north goal line should also be in the shade by kickoff for an evening game, but make sure to only buy a ticket here if you want to stand (literally) with the supporters.

As the shade sneaks across the pitch, seats on the east side at field level will become shaded first, followed by club level. Seats in the upper level stay sunny the longest. Even seats directly under the roof will get a blast of evening sun just before it dips low enough to get completed blocked before sunset.

Around 7:30pm sections on the west side of Audi Field (where the photo is taken) are comfortably shaded while sections in the upper levels on the east side (across the pitch) and behind the south goal stay sunny the longest.

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Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see an upcoming list of games at Audi Field.