History
The horseshoe stadium at the south end of Broad Street opened in 1926 for the Sesquicentennial Exposition and could hold more than 100,000. That September it drew an announced 120,557 for Gene Tunney's upset of Jack Dempsey.
The Eagles played there in the late 1930s, the Army-Navy Game was held there 41 times between 1936 and 1979, and it hosted the Liberty Bowl and the WFL's Philadelphia Bell. Renamed for John F. Kennedy in 1964, it later became a major concert venue, staging the US half of Live Aid in 1985.
After the Grateful Dead's show in July 1989, the city condemned the stadium. It was torn down in 1992 and an arena was built on the site.
Why it matters: One of the largest stadiums in the US for decades and the longtime home of the Army-Navy Game.
Timeline
- September 23, 1926Tunney defeats Dempsey[1]
Gene Tunney won the heavyweight title before an announced 120,557.
- 1936Army-Navy Game era begins[1]
The stadium hosted the Army-Navy Game 41 times between 1936 and 1979.
- July 13, 1985
The US half of Live Aid was staged here.
- July 7, 1989Last concert[1]
The Grateful Dead played the final concert.
- July 13, 1989
The city condemned the stadium.
- September 1992
The stadium was demolished.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Site of the arena now called Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly Wells Fargo Center) in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Philadelphia Quakers | AFL (1926) · 1926 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | NFL · 1936–1941 |
| Philadelphia Bell | WFL · 1974 |
| Frankford Yellow Jackets | NFL · 1926–1931 · secondary |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Sesquicentennial Stadium (1926–1926); Philadelphia Municipal Stadium (1926–1964) |
|---|---|
| Location | South end of Broad Street, South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football, Motorsports, Soccer, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NFL, NCAA, AFL, WFL |
| Opened | April 15, 1926[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | July 13, 1989[1,2] |
| Demolished | September 1992[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 102,000[1,2] |
| Architect | Simon & Simon[1] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Owner / operator | City of Philadelphia |
| Closure | Condemned by the city in 1989 as structurally unsafe. |
Documented details
Sources
- John F. Kennedy Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Why Live Aid came to Philadelphia's JFK Stadium, Philadelphia Magazine. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, current land use, demolished, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Demolition: Wikipedia infobox Sept. 19-24, 1992; text Sept. 23, 1992.
- Eagles years: infobox 1936-39 and 1941.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.