Broncos Unveil Plans for New Stadium with Retractable Roof

New stadium would have allowed team to close roof during snowy AFC Championship game

Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:31am

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The Denver Broncos have announced plans to build a new stadium with a retractable roof, set to open in 2031. Team owner Greg Penner said that if the new stadium had been available for the recent AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, the Broncos likely would have closed the roof due to the cold and snowy weather conditions.

Why it matters

A retractable roof stadium would allow the Broncos to better control the playing conditions, potentially giving them a home-field advantage in cold weather games. It could also enhance the fan experience by protecting them from harsh winter weather.

The details

Penner stated that the Broncos are "evaluating retractable roof options" for the new stadium, and that they would have likely closed the roof for the AFC Championship game given the "temperature and potential precipitation." While Penner acknowledged that closing the roof may not have changed the outcome of the game, he said it would have been better for the fans who had to endure the snowy conditions.

  • The new Broncos stadium is scheduled to open in 2031.
  • The AFC Championship game against the Patriots was played in January 2026.

The players

Greg Penner

Owner and CEO of the Denver Broncos.

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What they’re saying

“We're evaluating retractable roof options. In this case, you all saw the weather this year, it was fantastic until the last game. The NFL does have guidelines or rules around the home teams selecting or choosing what they're going to do with their roof, and when they can open or close it, so, we'd obviously comply with that. In this case, we would've likely closed it ahead of time, given both the temperature and the potential precipitation.”

— Greg Penner, Owner and CEO (nbcsports.com)

What’s next

The Broncos will continue to evaluate retractable roof options for their new stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2031.

The takeaway

The Broncos' plans for a new stadium with a retractable roof highlight the team's desire to control the playing conditions and enhance the fan experience, especially during cold and snowy winter games in Denver.