Construction on Lincoln Financial Field began in early 2001. The stadium was being built to replace Veterans Stadium as the new permanent home of the Philadelphia Eagles. Construction on the new stadium took just over two years, and Lincoln Financial Field opened in August 2003 when it hosted a preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester United and Barcelona. Just over 68,000 people attended the first event in Lincoln Financial's history.
Lincoln Financial Field currently holds just over 69,000 people for a football game. While the capacity did not change much from the previous stadium, Lincoln Financial Field added several modern amenities that were not found in Veterans Stadium. Lincoln Financial Field added several high-end luxury suites. The stadium was also made much more accessible for people in wheelchairs. The biggest addition to Lincoln Financial Field was the over 600 feet of LED video screens installed in the stadium.
Lincoln Financial Field is located in the southern section of the city of Philadelphia. The stadium is accessible using Patterson Avenue and I-95. Lincoln Financial Field is part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex which also holds Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park. Parking lots surround the stadium. The vast amount of parking lots and its location near a major highway make Lincoln Financial Field very accessible for fans looking to drive to the stadium. If someone does not want to drive to Lincoln Financial Field, then the stadium is also accessible using Broad Street Line of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Lincoln Financial Field is only a short walk from AT∓T Station on the Broad Street Line.
Lincoln Financial Field underwent renovations in the beginning of 2013 that were planned to last two years. The new upgrades added two 100 foot high definition video boards. They are also planning to expand the seating capacity in the stadium. An upgraded sound system and free WiFi service throughout the stadium has also been added. Lincoln Financial Field has won several awards since it was opened in August 2003. It was named the Greenest NFL stadium in 2013 thanks to 11,000 solar panels. It has also been named the Vegatiarian Friendliest NFL Stadium by PETA for the last four years.