Reigning NWSL Champions Gotham FC Will Play Inside New York City Limits for First Time in 2028

Gotham FC will play its home games at Etihad Park in Queens, New York, beginning in 2028, moving the reigning National Women’s Soccer League champions inside New York City limits for the first time. The NWSL club and Major League Soccer’s New York City FC announced the move Tuesday, following months of speculation, according to Yahoo News New Zealand and ESPN.

Yahoo News New ZealandGotham FC to move to NYCFC’s Etihad Park in Queens in 2028

The $780 million, 25,000-capacity stadium is primarily designed as NYCFC’s home venue and is set to open in spring 2027, aligning with the new MLS fall-to-spring calendar. The NWSL club will move in the following spring, Yahoo News New Zealand reported.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told ESPN that Gotham playing in New York City “is incredibly valuable to the league.” The comment underscores the strategic importance of having a top women’s soccer team based within the five boroughs, a move that could boost visibility and attendance.

Gotham FC will have its own locker room at Etihad Park and can customize most of the digital signage to make the venue feel like its own stadium, according to ESPN. That arrangement gives the team a dedicated identity within a shared facility.

The relocation to Queens ends years of the team playing home matches outside the city limits, and Yahoo News New Zealand noted the move “felt inevitable” after prolonged speculation. For Gotham FC, the new home represents a permanent foothold in the nation’s largest media market.