Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Nationals Park Seating Chart.
It is home to the Washington Nationals. For other venues, teams and events nearby, see the Washington, D.C. guide.
For general seat-picking advice, see The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
Nationals Park at a glance, with the seat answer up front
Nationals Park is the open-air home of the Washington Nationals, built on the Anacostia River waterfront in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Southeast Washington. It opened for Major League Baseball on March 30, 2008, and Wikipedia lists capacity at 41,373 as of 2023.
The best seats for most fans are on the lower level between the dugouts. The Nationals sit in the first-base dugout, in front of sections 127 to 131; the visitors use the third-base dugout, in front of sections 114 to 118. For value, the Gallery level (the 300s) behind home plate, sections 310 to 316, gives a full-field view at a fraction of the lower-level demand. On summer afternoons, pick the third-base side or covered rows, because the sun is the main hazard here.
Five seating levels stack around the field: the Field level (100s), the Club level (200s), the suite level, the Gallery level (300s) and the Upper Gallery (400s). The upper deck is split into sections with a gap, a nod to old Griffith Stadium.
How the five levels are laid out
Field level (100s)
The lower bowl wraps the infield and the outfield corners. According to RateYourSeats, sections 127 to 131 surround the Nationals dugout and 114 to 118 the visitors' dugout, with the Dugout Box premier sections (128 and 129 on the home side, 116 to 118 on the visitors' side) directly behind each bench. Rows run from A to Z and then AA up to WW at the top of the deep sections, and seats are numbered so the lowest number is on your right as you face the field.
Premium areas on the field level
The Terra Club seats directly behind home plate are the most expensive in the building and include food, drinks and an indoor lounge. The PNC Diamond Club covers the field-level seats between the two dugouts, also all-inclusive. The MGM National Harbor Dugout Club, added in 2017, sits near the first-base dugout.
Club level (200s)
Ticket holders in sections 206 to 221 get access to the FIS Champions Club, a two-story indoor lounge of about 33,000 square feet with river views. It is the best rain and heat refuge in the ballpark.
Gallery and Upper Gallery (300s and 400s)
The Gallery level is the lower part of the upper deck, with about ten rows (A to J); the Upper Gallery above it runs roughly A to N. Sections 310 to 316 sit behind home plate. From the upper deck on the first-base side you can catch the U.S. Capitol, though new construction has blocked much of that view, and day-game fans near the right-field foul pole up top may glimpse the Washington Monument.
Best seats for a Nationals game, and where to hold back
Behind the home dugout
Sections 127 to 131 put you beside the Nationals bench. RateYourSeats reviewers point to the middle rows, roughly N through GG, as the sweet spot: high enough to see over the dugout roof and the on-deck circle, low enough to feel the speed of the game. Row D is the first row behind the dugout in section 130.
For the pitcher-batter matchup
The Diamond Club and Terra Club rows behind the plate are the premium answer. The budget answer is sections 310 to 316 on the Gallery level, which see the strike zone and the entire field straight on.
Sun and shade
For day games, the third-base side falls into shade earlier than the first-base side, and the back rows of the deep lower sections (for example, rows TT and above in section 130) sit under cover. The 300 level has no roof over it, so early innings of an afternoon game can be hot. Afternoon starts include the traditional 11:05 a.m. Fourth of July game the team has played most years since 2012.
Seats to think twice about
- Front rows behind the dugouts look close on a map, but the dugout roof and players on the top step cut into the view of home plate.
- Sunny first-base and right-field seats on a July afternoon are uncomfortable for children and anyone sensitive to heat.
- The far ends of the Upper Gallery are the longest view in the building and only make sense for a low-cost night out.
Capacity and the non-baseball calendar
Nationals Park seats 41,373 for baseball, according to Wikipedia's 2023 figure. The number has moved slightly over the years: 41,888 in 2008, 41,313 in 2016 and 41,339 in 2017, as clubs and premium areas were added. Larger crowds have come for special events, including 42,832 for the 2015 NHL Winter Classic between the Capitals and Blackhawks and 43,843 for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game.
Ballpark concerts generally set the stage in the outfield, which turns the lower-level infield into the long-view seats and puts the field floor up front. Artists who have played the park include Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Shakira and Bruce Springsteen. For concerts, the lower sections along the baselines that angle toward the outfield usually give the clearest look; seats behind home plate become the farthest from the stage. Check the configuration for each show.
Metro first, then parking and rideshare
The Navy Yard–Ballpark station on Metro's Green Line is one block from the ballpark, near the Center Field Gate, and is the simplest way in. The team's guide also lists Capitol South (Orange, Blue and Silver lines) with a walk down New Jersey Avenue, and Waterfront on the Green Line, which spreads the crowd out after the game. Several Metrobus routes serve the area, and water taxis run from Alexandria and Georgetown.
Parking near the stadium is limited. Wikipedia counts 14 team-sanctioned lots and garages, and the Nationals list accessible spaces in all of them, with extra in Garage B (N Street SE) and Garage C (First Street SE). Garage C also hosts a free bike valet.
For rideshare, the team suggests pickup at N Street and New Jersey Avenue SE, on L Street between First Street and New Jersey Avenue, or at M and Half streets SE, and asks drivers to avoid South Capitol Street. Arrangements change, so check the Nationals Park A–Z guide before you go.
Bag policy, gates and entry
As of the 2026 season, Nationals Park allows clear bags of plastic, vinyl or PVC up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches, including clear totes and one-gallon freezer bags. A small non-clear clutch up to 5 by 7 inches is allowed when carried inside a clear bag. Backpacks are banned even if they are clear, and so are coolers, luggage, and camera and laptop bags. Diaper and medical bags may be allowed through the family and accessible lanes.
- Lockers: paid lockers sit outside the Center Field, Left Field and Home Plate gates.
- Gates: open 80 minutes before first pitch, or 75 minutes for 6:45 p.m. games.
- Re-entry: not allowed once you leave.
- Tickets: digital through the MLB Ballpark app; the team says will call is not offered in 2026.
- Food and water: single-serving food is allowed, plus one clear plastic water bottle up to one liter, sealed or empty.
Rules change between seasons, so read the Nationals bag policy before you leave home.
Building a ballpark for the Expos' move
When the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington, the District chose a site on the Southeast Anacostia waterfront in September 2004. HOK Sport and Devrouax & Purnell designed the ballpark, construction started in May 2006, and the city financed nearly all of it. It became the first LEED-certified green major professional stadium in the United States.
Ryan Zimmerman christened it with a walk-off home run against the Braves on opening night in 2008. Since then the park has hosted Nationals playoff series, the 2015 Winter Classic, the 2018 All-Star Game and Games 3, 4 and 5 of the 2019 World Series, the first World Series games in the city since 1933. The Nationals lost all three at home and still won the title in seven games.
A 2024 renovation added a new 4,780-square-foot video board and color-changing LED lights. Touches worth finding include the Ring of Honor, a cherry blossom grove beyond left field, statues of Walter Johnson, Frank Howard and Josh Gibson, and the submarine dive horn after every Nationals home run, a nod to the Navy Yard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capacity of Nationals Park?
Nationals Park holds 41,373 for baseball, the figure Wikipedia lists as of 2023. Special events have drawn more, such as 43,843 for the 2018 All-Star Game.
Which dugout do the Nationals use?
The Nationals use the first-base dugout, near sections 127 to 131. Visitors sit on the third-base side near sections 114 to 118.
Where are the shaded seats at Nationals Park?
For day games the third-base side gets shade sooner, and the back rows of the deep lower-level sections are covered. The 300 level is open to the sun.
What is the Nationals Park bag policy?
As of 2026, clear bags up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches are allowed, plus a small clutch carried inside one. Backpacks are banned, even clear ones. Check the team's bag policy page before you go.
What is the closest Metro stop to Nationals Park?
Navy Yard–Ballpark on the Green Line, one block from the Center Field Gate. Capitol South and Waterfront are longer walks that avoid the postgame crush.
Can I leave Nationals Park and come back in?
No. The team's guide says re-entry is not allowed with the same ticket unless a gate supervisor authorizes it.