How loud is the loudest stadium crowd?
Guinness World Records lists the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium as 142.2 dBA, set by Kansas City Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Stadium on 29 September 2014. That is a peak reading at one moment, not the level across a whole game.
- Level
- 142.2 dBA maxA-weighted maximum sound level
- Daily limit
- No safe unprotected exposureNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 93 million× energyabout 250.7× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Guinness World Records reading for a crowd roar at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, 29 September 2014; measurement position not stated.
The record changed hands quickly in 2013, when Seattle Seahawks fans reached 136.6 dBA at CenturyLink Field and, less than a month later, Kansas City Chiefs fans took it back with 137.5 dBA. The current mark of 142.2 dBA dates from 2014.
Record attempts measure the single loudest moment of an organised roar. Exposure over a whole game is lower but lasts hours: at indoor hockey arenas, for example, average levels in the stands have been measured at around 100 dBA.
How long is safe?
At 142.2 dB the level is above 140 dB, where harm can be immediate.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142.2 dBA | under 1 s | 21 s | under 1 s | under 1 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Children
Children at big matches should wear proper ear defenders, which are easy to fit and comfortable for a whole game.
Protecting your hearing
Foam earplugs or ear defenders for children are worth bringing to any big game. The loudest roars are short, but the hours of chanting in between add up.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Basketball arena (record) (129.2–130.4 dBA max): this has about 17× its sound energy and sounds about 2.4× as loud.
- Jackhammer (130 dBA): this has about 17× its sound energy and sounds about 2.3× as loud.
- Aircraft carrier flight deck (130–160 dBA): it has about 1.9× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- LRAD sound cannon (160 dBA max): it has about 60× the sound energy of this and sounds about 3.4× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 93 million× its energy and sounds about 250.7× as loud.
Questions
Which stadium is the loudest in the world?
Guinness World Records lists Arrowhead Stadium, where Kansas City Chiefs fans reached 142.2 dBA on 29 September 2014.
Was it always Kansas City?
No. In 2013 Seattle Seahawks fans set 136.6 dBA before Chiefs fans beat it with 137.5 dBA.
Sources
- Loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium, Guinness World Records. Supports: 142.2 dBA record.
The loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium is 142.2 dbA and was achieved by fans of the Kansas City Chiefs (USA), at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, on 29 September 2014.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Roar of the crowd: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Sacramento Kings make for noisy two months, Guinness World Records. Supports: 2013 records 136.6 and 137.5 dBA.
claiming the new record at 137.5 dbA
Checked 2026-11-02. - Roar of the crowd: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Sacramento Kings make for noisy two months, Guinness World Records. Supports: Seahawks 136.6 dBA.
register a high reading of 136.6 dbA
Checked 2026-11-02. - Can hockey playoffs harm your hearing?, CMAJ (2006). Supports: whole-game average around 100 dBA (body).
The average exposure levels for each game (> 3 hours) were 104.1, 100.7 and 103.1 dB.
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.