Distribution law and stability of principal stress difference of roadway surrounding rock in unequal stress field were studied through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. The evolution law of principal stress difference distribution, plastic zone shape, and evolution law of deformation in roadway roof, floor, and two sides under different lateral pressure coefficients were analyzed. The results have shown that when coefficient of lateral pressure λ1, failure range of roof and floor is larger than two sides. Based on mathematical fitting, trajectory equation of maximum principal stress difference was obtained through fitting, which can accurately calculate the area with the most serious damage of surrounding rocks. With the increase of λ, shape evolution process of principal stress difference bearing shell of roadway surrounding rock evolves from horizontal 8 shape → flat ellipse → round → thin high ellipse → similar 8 shape. With the increase of λ, peak value of principal stress difference of roof and floor increases and transfers to deep part of surrounding rocks, while that of two sides decreases and transfers to shallow part of surrounding rocks. Plastic zone of surrounding rocks is always distributed in principal stress difference bearing shell, and its shape evolution process is consistent with principal stress difference bearing shell. With the increase of λ, dispersion degree of displacement curve of roadway roof and floor increases, and that of two sides first decreases and then increases. When λ that of roof and floor; when λ > 1, surface displacement of roof and floor > that of two sides. The closer λ is to 1, the better the stability of surrounding rock is. With roadway 11-1021 of Huipodi Coal Mine as engineering background, it was found that principal stress difference of surrounding rocks is like an oblique 8 shape. The theoretical analysis results are in good agreement with actual failure of the roadway. The correctness of the theory is verified. © 2021, Editorial Board of Journal of Mining & Safety Engineering. All right reserved.