All renderings courtesy of New York City FC
New York City’s first professional soccer stadium will be called Etihad Park, named after the airline of the United Arab Emirates. New York City FC on Thursday announced a 20-year agreement with Etihad Airways, granting the airline exclusive naming rights for the 25,000-seat soccer stadium currently under construction in Willets Point, Queens. Set to open in time for the 2027 season, the stadium will become a “cathedral of soccer in the United States,” according to NYCFC. The news came ahead of the team’s loss to the New York Red Bulls during the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinal match on Saturday.
Etihad Airways, a founding partner of NYCFC since 2014, has further strengthened its ties with the club over the past decade. As a key supporter of the club’s $3 million New York City Soccer Initiative, Etihad has helped build and maintain 50 mini-soccer pitches across the city while expanding free soccer programming.
“This is an historic announcement for New York City FC, Etihad Airways, and New York City. Etihad Airways has been a fantastic partner to the Club for over a decade, and we are proud to call Etihad Park the home of our great Club,” Brad Sims, CEO of NYCFC, said.
“For over a decade, we’ve been investing in New York with a vision of building the city into one of the soccer capitals of the world. Etihad Airways has been alongside us every step of the way and we’re thrilled to be making this announcement with them.”
Developed by NYCFC, Related Companies, and Sterling Equities and designed by HOK, the stadium will serve as a dedicated home for the soccer team, which currently plays home games at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium. The venue will also host concerts and festivals.
Located across from Citi Field, Etihad Park will feature a striking, “activated cube” entranceway, illuminated on match days with vibrant colors and imagery that provides a dynamic experience for visitors. S9 Architecture and Turner Construction Company are design and construction partners on the project.
The stadium will be the first fully electric stadium in Major League Soccer, as well as the first fully electric professional sports stadium in NYC.
Sims added: “Etihad Park was designed to celebrate the essence of community and the vibrant life found in urban parks, much like New York City’s iconic green spaces that serve as gathering spots for people from all walks of life.”
“We hope that Etihad Park becomes a central hub for the community, as it will host not only sporting events, but also concerts, festivals, and community activities, fostering a sense of belonging and connection for all New Yorkers.”
NYCFC is funding the stadium’s construction, expected to cost $780 million. The city is leasing the land to the soccer team and the developers for 49 years, with the opportunity to extend the lease for another 25 years.
The stadium is one component of a sweeping 23-acre mixed development, approved by the City Council in April, which in addition to the seven-story stadium, includes 2,500 affordable housing units across seven buildings, a 650-seat school, and a hotel to Willets Point, once known for its junkyards and landfills.
Plans to redevelop the neighborhood have come and gone for decades. In 2007, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled plans for a mixed-use development that included apartments, offices, and a shopping mall. It was later discarded because of a lawsuit.
Past plans have suggested an NYCFC stadium in the Bronx, in Upper Manhattan, at Belmont Park, on the West Side of Manhattan, and in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, but all were eventually discarded, according to the New York Times.
In January 2019, former Mayor Bill de Blasio reintroduced the plan, announcing the addition of affordable housing to the project and site rehabilitation.
The first phase of the project, including the construction of 1,100 units of affordable housing, kicked off last December.
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