12 Iconic College Stadiums That Are Older Than the NFL

12. Palmer Stadium (1914)

Before professional football had even formed a national league, Princeton University’s Palmer Stadium was already making history. Opened in 1914, this iconic venue was one of the earliest college football stadiums to be constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, setting the stage for modern stadium design. Inspired by the Greek-style horseshoe layout of Harvard Stadium, Palmer Stadium became the home of Princeton Tigers football, witnessing multiple national championships and legendary Ivy League battles. For over 80 years, this stadium was a focal point of college football's early dominance by Ivy League teams, hosting matchups against rivals like Yale and Harvard. Though Palmer Stadium was eventually demolished in 1996 to make way for Princeton’s modern stadium, its place in football history remains firmly intact. It was a true pioneer of stadium architecture, a symbol of Princeton’s football legacy, and one of the great sporting venues that predated the founding of the NFL in 1920.