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One parameter that plays an important role in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) efficiency is the contact pressure between the bipolar plates and membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Increasing or decreasing the contact pressure between the plates causes ohmic losses and decreases the efficiency of the fuel cell. In this research, the contact pressure distribution over the MEA in a three-cell fuel cell stack with metallic bipolar plates with an active area of 100 cm2 was investigated numerically and experimentally. Abaqus finite element software has been used for finite element simulation. Due to the asymmetry of the flow field of metallic bipolar plates, a full three-dimensional model was used for simulation. In addition, pressure-sensitive Fujifilm was used to experimentally investigate the contact pressure distribution on the MEA. Since the fuel cell stack includes three cells, the pressure-sensitive film was used in the middle cell, and thin insulating plates were used in the first and third cells. Finally, after disassembling the fuel cell stack and separating the pressure-sensitive film, the experimental test results were compared with the simulation results. The simulation results showed that the pressure changes on the active area were less than 0.3 MPa. The average contact pressure on the active area with a press force of 3.7 tons was about 1 MPa. Also, the results of the experimental tests were in good agreement with the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]