Northwest Stadium Bag Policy: Commanders Clear Bag Rules

The Northwest Stadium bag policy follows the same clear bag standard the NFL has used leaguewide for more than a decade. For a Washington Commanders home game, you can carry one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, plus a hand-sized clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. Every bag you bring gets searched at the gate.

Northwest Stadium bag policy: which bags are allowed

People who search for the stadium bag size at Northwest Stadium usually land on a simple answer, but the bag policy Northwest Stadium enforces covers more than a single measurement. The rule allows one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or one one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag in the Ziploc style. Alongside either one, you get a small clutch bag, roughly hand-sized and no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches, with or without a handle or strap.

That's the accurate reading of the northwest stadium clear bag policy: one main bag, one clutch. The 4.5 x 6.5 stadium bag is the piece most fans use for keys, their phone, and a card or two. It rides alongside the main clear bag, never in place of it.

One clear bag and one clutch per person. That's the whole accounting. A second tote folded under your arm won't help, and neither will an extra freezer bag tucked into a jacket pocket.

Clear means clear, by the way. A dark tint or an opaque pattern defeats the purpose of the rule, so stick with transparent material you can see through from the outside.

Binoculars, cameras, and smartphones don't need to be bagged at all. Carry them in your hands or around your neck and you're set.

Those dimensions are the same 12 x 6 x 12 and 4.5 x 6.5 standard the NFL Committee on Stadium Security recommended back in 2013, tied to the DHS "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign. The numbers have held steady at every league venue since, and the NFL clear bag policy page here explains how the leaguewide rules fit together.

Every permitted bag gets searched at the gate. Budget a couple of extra minutes for the check and you won't feel rushed.

ClearBagsMarket carries clear totes, freezer-style bags, and clutches designed to meet the size guideline most stadiums require, all made from water-resistant PVC that holds up through a full season of uses. The whole lineup is in the Stadium & Sport Events collection.

What's not allowed at Northwest Stadium

Before you pack, take a slow pass through the northwest stadium prohibited items list, because the gate won't remind you. Bags are the first category, and nearly every everyday option is out. Backpacks, gym bags, duffels, briefcases, large purses, and computer or camera bags are banned unless they meet the clear-bag size limit. Fanny packs that don't meet the size limit get the same treatment, and so do diaper bags, which matter enough to earn their own section below. Packages of any kind are out as well.

Containers come next. Bottles, jugs, thermoses, cans, and coolers are banned, along with any food or beverage from outside the stadium. Sealed or not, it doesn't move through the gates.

Recording and electronics gear forms the third group. Tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, camera stands, and GoPros are banned, as is any camera with a detachable lens 5 inches or longer. Laptops, tablets, and gaming consoles stay home, and so do batteries bigger than an ordinary cellphone battery, roughly 3 x 6 x 1 inches.

Safety-relevant items rarely need explaining:

• Weapons, firearms, and knives of any kind
• Illegal drugs and self-defense spray
• Ropes, hammers, and nails
• LED lights, laser pointers, and drones

Event-specific items round out the list. Noise makers, meaning airhorns, cowbells, whistles, and instruments, are banned. Footballs only get in if they're deflated. Folding chairs and umbrellas are out, and strollers are out too, with the suite-ticket exception covered under Kids and families below. Signs can't be on poles or sticks, and none can measure larger than 3 feet by 6 feet. Native American-style ceremonial headdresses and face paint are prohibited, as are aerosol cans and alcohol brought from outside.

Seat cushions deserve a special mention because they trip people up every season. A solid one-piece cushion with no pockets, zippers, compartments, or covers gets in without a fight. Add any one of those features and it's a bag, and it fails the clear-bag rule.

Animals are prohibited except for certified service animals.

Diaper bags and medical exceptions

The northwest stadium diaper bag policy is where most competitor blogs get things wrong, so here's the plain version. Diaper bags are not automatically exempt. The venue's own prohibited-items list names diaper bags specifically among the bags that must meet the clear-bag size and material rule like anything else.

Families have two honest paths. Pack baby supplies in a compliant clear bag or a one-gallon freezer bag, or route through the medical exception below. There's also a workaround worth knowing: every ticketed person gets their own bag allowance, and that includes children. A parent can use the child's allowance for extra diapers and wipes, which effectively doubles the room for baby gear.

Medical needs get a real exception, though it isn't a free pass. The northwest stadium medical bag exception covers medically necessary items, with examples like oxygen tanks, monitoring equipment, breast pumps, and temperature-controlled medication, after an inspection at a gate designated for that purpose. What the venue doesn't publish is which gate. No official page names it, and this article won't invent a label. Ask at a Guest Services Booth or flag down any staff member at any gate when you arrive. Bring relevant documentation if you have it, and build in extra time, because the inspection can take a few minutes.

Special dietary requests

Outside food is banned, but there's an official path for people who can't eat stadium concessions. Severe allergies, religious dietary requirements, and medically prescribed diets can be pre-approved through an official Smartsheet request form. Submit it at least 48 hours before the event, and once it's approved, staff send entry instructions for bringing the specific food. For a Sunday game, that means filing your request by Friday.

Bag storage: don't count on it

The northwest stadium bag check question comes up constantly, and the honest answer has three parts. Neither Commanders.com nor northweststadium.com lists any on-site bag check or storage locker service. That doesn't prove one doesn't exist somewhere on the property, and we're not going to claim it does. But the safest plan is to leave a non-compliant bag at home or in the car, rather than count on being able to store it at the gate.

Treat northwest stadium bag storage as unavailable until the venue publishes otherwise. If you're flying in, leave the backpack in the hotel room. If you drove, leave it in the trunk. Build your packing list around what you're willing to carry through the gates, and the search becomes a non-issue. Both the Washington Commanders bag policy text on the team site and the venue's own pages tell the same story here.

Kids, strollers, and Guest Services

Children under 2 attend Commanders games free with a lap pass instead of a ticket. Lap passes come from any Guest Services Booth, and the child needs to be present to get one. Kids 2 and up need a regular ticket, which means a full bag allowance of their own, a detail families with baby gear should plan around.

Guest Services Booths sit throughout the concourses, including the areas across from sections 103, 104, 123, 124, 303, 304, 324, 403, 404, 429, and 431. The booths also hand out Child Registration Wristbands, which carry a guardian's contact info and seat location in case a child gets separated on a crowded concourse.

Strollers are banned except for suite ticket holders. Everyone else should plan around a baby carrier.

Gates, accessibility, and getting there

Four named entry points make up the northwest stadium gates: Gate A, Gate D, the Bank of America Gate (Gate E), and the Pepsi Gate (Gate H). The commanders bag policy is enforced the same way at all four, so pick whichever is closest to your parking lot.

Northwest Stadium accessibility starts at those same gates. Code-compliant public ramps sit next to Gate A, Gate D, the Bank of America Gate, and the Pepsi Gate. Elevators are at Gate A and the Bank of America Gate, and guests who need accessibility help can bring one companion.

Rideshare pickup and drop-off happens at the Red Zone Lot. Tell your driver to use Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20785 as the destination. It's roughly a 5-minute walk from Gate A. Metro riders take the Blue or Silver Line to Morgan Boulevard Station, about a mile from the stadium.

If your car gets locked out, needs a jump start, or has a flat tire in the lots, text SAFE to 703-266-6263, or call the stadium hotline, for free roadside help. Once you leave the stadium, there's no re-entry without a full, unused ticket for that day.

Tailgating runs on a separate set of rules, and the northwest stadium tailgating rules actually favor you. In the parking lots, outside food, drinks, and coolers are fine. The ban starts at the gates, so the line between tailgate and game day is literal.

Renamed from FedExField, and what's next

Plenty of fans still search "fedex field bag policy" when they mean this building, and the same goes for "fedex field clear bag policy" and the brief 2024 label "commanders field bag policy." None of those names changes the rules. It's all one stadium at 1600 Ring Road, Landover, MD 20785, with the same clear-bag limits, the same gates, and the same search process.

The stadium opened as FedExField in 1999 and carried that name through early 2024. For a short stretch that year it was called Commanders Field, then in August 2024 it became Northwest Stadium under a naming-rights deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union.

Capacity sits at about 62,000 seats, and the building stays the Commanders' home while the next one takes shape. The team has approval for a new stadium at the RFK site in Washington, D.C., with the D.C. Council's final sign-off on September 17, 2025, and a target opening in 2030. Nothing about the bag policy changes before then.

FAQ

What is the clear bag policy at Northwest Stadium?

One clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus one clutch no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches. All bags are subject to search.

What size clear bag can I bring to a Commanders game?

12 x 6 x 12 inches is the ceiling for a clear bag. A one-gallon clear freezer bag works as an alternative, and either one pairs with a 4.5 x 6.5 clutch.

Is Northwest Stadium's clear bag policy the same as the NFL standard?

Yes. The commanders clear bag policy uses the identical 12 x 6 x 12 and 4.5 x 6.5 dimensions as the leaguewide standard adopted in 2013 and used at every NFL stadium.

Can I bring a diaper bag to Northwest Stadium?

There's no blanket exemption. Diaper bags must meet the same clear-bag size and material rule as any other bag, though each ticketed child's bag allowance can be used for baby supplies.

Is there a medical exception to the bag policy?

Yes. Medically necessary items such as oxygen tanks, monitoring equipment, breast pumps, and temperature-controlled medication are allowed after inspection at a designated gate. Ask Guest Services or any gate staff to point you to it.

Is there bag check or storage at Northwest Stadium?

The venue's official pages don't list one, so don't count on it. Leave any non-compliant bag at home or in the car.

What is the clutch or small purse size limit?

4.5 x 6.5 inches, hand-sized, with or without a handle or strap.

Is Northwest Stadium the same as FedExField?

Yes, same building at 1600 Ring Road in Landover, MD 20785. FedExField was the name from 1999 to 2024, and the stadium is now Northwest Stadium.

Are clear backpacks allowed?

Only if it's clear. A backpack made of clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC that doesn't exceed 12 x 6 x 12 inches meets the same requirement as any other clear bag. A backpack in any other material, or a clear one that's oversized, is not allowed.

Can I bring a one-gallon Ziploc bag?

Yes. A one-gallon clear freezer bag is an allowed alternative to the 12 x 6 x 12 clear bag, and it pairs with the 4.5 x 6.5 clutch.

What gate do I use for a medical bag exception?

The venue doesn't publish which gate is designated for medical inspections. Ask at any Guest Services Booth or any gate staff member when you arrive.

Can I bring a bag while tailgating?

Tailgating happens in the lots, where the gate bag policy doesn't apply. Outside food, drinks, and coolers are fine there, but they can't come through the gates.

Sources

• Washington Commanders — Clear Bag Policy
• Washington Commanders — Prohibited Items
• Northwest Stadium — A-Z Guide

Checked against these official pages in September 2026. The venue's own pages are the final word if anything reads differently on game day.