California Memorial Stadium seating chart: sections, rows, sun and shade
California Memorial Stadium holds 52,428 fans in one bowl, lettered A to X and AA to XX, with the students and the Cal bench on the east side and the press box on the west. The field runs north-west to south-east, between the North Bowl and the South Bowl. The press box stands over the back rows of the west sideline. This guide models 48 seating sections from lidar.
| Capacity | 52,428 with the south end zone tarps on; Cal took the tarps off for the 2026 season (ESPN, Aug 2026), opening up to 62,467 |
|---|---|
| Sections modelled | 48: A to X and AA to XX |
| Opened | 1923 |
| Cal bench | East side, in front of Sections R to T (calbears.com stadium map) |
| Visitor bench | West side, in front of the press box (calbears.com stadium map) |
| Students | Sections SS, S, RR and R; students enter through Gate 8 for a wristband (calbears.com) |
| Cal Band | The front rows of Sections RR and R (calbears.com stadium map) |
| Visiting fans | Sections NN, O (rateyourseats.com; Cal does not publish it) |
| Covered rows | Only the back rows of the west side, under the press box (lidar) |
| Location | 210 Stadium Rim Way, Berkeley, CA |
Which side of California Memorial Stadium is in the shade?
Sit on the west side for shade; the east side gets the most sun. Average minutes of direct sun per seat for Cal vs Stanford at 12:30 pm: east side 208 min, South Bowl 154 min, North Bowl 149 min, west side 5 min.
Shadiest seats for the next game: Cal vs Stanford, Sat Nov 21, 2026
If kickoff is 12:30 pm PT: shadiest Section E, Section F, Section G, Section H, Section EE, sunniest Section VV, Section V, Section UU, Section W, Section WW. Cal vs Stanford sun map.
Sunniest sections for every remaining Cal home game
| Game | Kickoff | Sunniest sections |
|---|---|---|
| Cal vs Stanford Sat Nov 21, 2026 | 12:30 pm | Section VV (215 min), Section V (215 min), Section UU (214 min) |
| Cal vs Stanford Sat Nov 21, 2026 | 4:30 pm | Section V (6 min), Section U (6 min), Section UU (5 min) |
| Cal vs Stanford Sat Nov 21, 2026 | 7:30 pm | none (after sunset) |
| Cal vs Pitt Sat Nov 28, 2026 | 12:30 pm | Section VV (212 min), Section V (211 min), Section UU (209 min) |
| Cal vs Pitt Sat Nov 28, 2026 | 4:30 pm | Section V (4 min), Section U (4 min), Section VV (3 min) |
| Cal vs Pitt Sat Nov 28, 2026 | 7:30 pm | none (after sunset) |
Kickoff times in Pacific Time. Kickoffs not yet announced show each ACC window (3:30, 7:30 and 10:30 pm Eastern).
Before you go
- Gates: open 2 hours before kickoff; enter at any gate. No re-entry.
- Bags: a clear bag up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches, a one-gallon plastic bag, or a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. No backpacks. Bag policy.
- Food and drink: outside food is allowed if cut into pieces; soft plastic bottles only.
- Not allowed: umbrellas, seat cushions over 18 inches, smoking.
- Beer and wine: two per transaction with a wristband and ID; general sales stop at the start of the third quarter. None in the student section.
- Cashless: cards only; there are no ATMs.
- Getting there: most street parking needs a Berkeley residential permit; Bear Transit runs from Downtown Berkeley BART. Parking and transit.