Gotham FC will leave New Jersey behind and make history by relocating to the five boroughs of New York City for the first time in the club’s existence.
The NWSL side announced Tuesday that they will move into Etihad Park, the new soccer-specific stadium being built in Willets Point, Queens, beginning in 2028.
Gotham will share the brand-new venue with MLS counterpart New York City FC, completing a partnership that had been widely discussed throughout the summer.
The Post had confirmed earlier this summer that Gotham FC and NYCFC were in talks about the NWSL side making the move across the Hudson River to Queens.
Tuesday’s announcement arrives just over a week before Gotham host the Washington Spirit at Citi Field on July 15 in a match dubbed “The Queens Classic.”
Gotham FC governor Carolyn Tisch Blodgett released a statement outlining the ambitions driving the relocation to one of the sport’s most high-profile new venues.
“From day one, our ambition has been bigger than championships,” Tisch Blodgett said. “We are building one of the world’s most iconic clubs and helping define the future of women’s sports.”
Tisch Blodgett added that “world-class athletes deserve world-class environments,” and that the move reflects a bold commitment to investing in women’s soccer at the highest level.
This stadium announcement is the second major development from Gotham’s ownership in under a month, following news that the club will take over a former Red Bull New York training facility in Whippany, New Jersey.
Gotham has deep roots in New Jersey, tracing back to their days as Sky Blue FC, when they called Rutgers’ Yurcak Field and Sports Illustrated Stadium home at various points in their history.
The club will play one final season at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, in 2027 before transitioning fully to their new Queens home.
Gotham has averaged 8,148 fans this season at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with their largest crowd of 11,308 coming during a 1-1 draw against Boston Legacy FC on May 9.
That attendance figure was partly boosted by a partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which made 1,000 tickets available at just five dollars each.
Etihad Park is scheduled to officially open for the 2027-28 MLS season, ending NYCFC’s long stretch of nomadic existence across venues including Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and Sports Illustrated Stadium.
NYCFC executives had long made clear their desire to host a women’s team at Etihad Park, with COO Jennifer O’Sullivan stating in March that it was a “guarantee,” even if the exact timing remained uncertain.
NYCFC co-vice chairman Marty Edelman welcomed the partnership, saying: “Welcoming Gotham FC to Etihad Park is an important step in delivering on that promise and building a world-class home for the game in New York City.”
Edelman added that the club looks forward to working together to “elevate the game, inspire the next generation, and shape the future of soccer in New York City and beyond.”
The move represents a landmark moment for women’s soccer in New York, cementing Gotham’s status as one of the most ambitious clubs in the NWSL.
