Gotham FC has confirmed plans to move its home matches to the new Etihad Park in the Queens borough of New York City starting in 2028.
The announcement was made on Tuesday and was attended by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside club officials.
Gotham currently plays its home fixtures at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, making the move to Queens a significant shift for the defending NWSL champions.
The club will share the 25,000-seat Etihad Park with Major League Soccer side New York City FC, which is spearheading the construction of the new venue.
Gotham will have its own dedicated locker room at the stadium, underlining the club’s standing as a major force in women’s professional soccer.
Mayor Mamdani spoke passionately about what the move means for young fans across the city’s diverse communities during Tuesday’s news conference.
“Instead of begging their parents to have to take them to New Jersey, girls growing up in Jackson Heights, Sunnyside and Flushing will now be able to get on the 7 train after school and watch some of the greatest soccer players in the world go to work,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani also highlighted the affordability of attending matches, noting that tickets to a Gotham FC game begin at just $24, with season ticket deposits available for $28.
NYCFC broke ground on Etihad Park adjacent to the New York Mets’ Citi Field in 2024, with the stadium expected to open in the summer of 2027 when MLS shifts to a summer-to-spring calendar.
The venue is also set to host both men’s and women’s soccer matches during the 2028 Olympics, adding further prestige to the project.
NYCFC Co-Vice Chairman Marty Edelman said the vision for the stadium was always broader than simply housing a men’s team, with women’s soccer central to those plans from the outset.
“From the earliest days of planning Etihad Park, our vision was for it to be more than the home of New York City FC,” Edelman said, adding that the goal was to showcase soccer at the highest level, including women’s soccer.
Gotham majority owner and governor Carolyn Tisch Blodgett framed the move as a statement of intent about the club’s ambitions and its commitment to women’s sport.
“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,” Tisch Blodgett said.
Current season ticket holders will receive priority access when tickets for the new stadium go on sale, giving loyal supporters the first opportunity to secure their spots.
Gotham’s momentum off the pitch is matched by excitement on it, with the club set to host the Queen’s Classic against the Washington Spirit at Citi Field next week, an event expected to draw around 40,000 fans.
