Gotham FC, the reigning National Women’s Soccer League champions, will make Queens their permanent home alongside the New York City Football Club (NYCFC). On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the team’s move from New Jersey to Etihad Park, the city’s first-ever professional soccer stadium under construction in Willets Point, in 2028. The fully electric stadium, designed by HOK, is slated to open for NYCFC’s season next spring, establishing Queens as a major hub for soccer across the five boroughs.
Developed by NYCFC, Related Companies, and Sterling Equities, the seven-story stadium topped out in March. The venue will feature 25,000 seats and dedicated spaces for Gotham FC, including its own locker room and club merchandise area.
Located across from Citi Field, the stadium will feature a striking, “activated cube” entranceway, which will be illuminated on match days with vibrant colors and imagery to provide a dynamic experience for visitors. S9 Architecture and Turner Construction Company are design and construction partners on the project, as 6sqft previously reported.
“From Sam Kerr’s legendary four-goal comeback to Midge Purce’s championship-clinching heroics, Gotham FC has given us some of the greatest moments in women’s soccer,” Mamdani said. “Now the next electrifying chapter of that story will be written in NYC.”
“Bringing Gotham FC to Queens means that the young girl kicking a ball around Jackson Heights, Jamaica or the South Bronx will be able to take the train and watch some of the best players in the world in her own city,” he added.
Gotham FC has been playing in Harrison at Sports Illustrated Stadium since 2020. The team’s relocation to Etihad Park aims to match the ambitions of the club itself, a two-time NWSL champion and the reigning league titleholder.
Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, governor of Gotham FC, said the move reflects the club’s commitment to its fans and the continued growth of women’s sports.
“From day one, our ambition has been bigger than championships,” she said. “We are building one of the world’s most iconic clubs and helping define the future of women’s sports. Our move to Etihad Park reflects that ambition.”
“World-class athletes deserve world-class environments, and this move allows us to keep raising the standard for our players, supporters and the game itself,” she added. “Gotham FC is showing what is possible when you invest boldly in women’s soccer, and we are committed to building an experience worthy of the fans who have believed in this club from the beginning.”
Building on the club’s growing investments, Gotham FC is set to receive a new state-of-the-art training hub in Whippany, New Jersey, designed by SHoP Architects next summer.
Announced last month, the project will transform the former New York Red Bulls training facility into a purpose-built hub focused on player performance, recovery, and well-being. It will be among the first facilities to meet the NWSL’s new training standards.
Gotham FC is also set to face the Washington Spirit at Citi Field on July 15 in a rematch of one of women’s professional soccer’s biggest rivalries. The match will mark the first women’s sporting event held at the home of the New York Mets and will take place four days before the men’s FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
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