Gotham FC to relocate to Queens stadium in 2028

The reigning National Women’s Soccer League champion Gotham FC will move to a new, permanent home in New York City, officials announced Tuesday. The two-time NWSL titleholder will begin playing its home matches at the under-construction Etihad Park in Willets Point, Queens, starting in 2028.

The move will bring the club, which has played in New Jersey since its founding in 2006, to New York City’s first soccer-specific stadium. The 25,000-seat, all-electric venue is scheduled to open in the spring of 2027 and will primarily serve as the home for Major League Soccer’s New York City FC beginning that season. Gotham FC will join them as a co-tenant the following year.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced the partnership at City Hall, framing it as a major step for women’s sports and for the city. Mamdani said the relocation puts world-class soccer within a 75-minute public transit ride for millions of potential fans. “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,” Mamdani said. He...