NYCFC postpones the launch of Etihad Park to the summer of 2027.
NEW YORK — The launch of New York City FC’s Etihad Park has been delayed by half a season, now set to coincide with the beginning of the MLS’ 2027-28 schedule.
When the team commenced construction in December 2024 for the 25,000-seat facility located next to the New York Mets’ Citi Field, NYCFC announced that the stadium would be ready for the 2027 season. The anticipated opening is now scheduled for the summer of 2027, aligning with the MLS’s transition to a summer-to-spring calendar to correspond with the majority of European leagues.
During the league’s shortened transition season in 2027, each MLS team will compete in a 14-game regular-season format followed by playoffs. NYCFC will continue to host the majority of its home matches that season at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.
Since its inception in 2015, NYCFC has primarily held home games at these venues, along with occasional matches at the home ground of the rival New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey, and Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
The new stadium is also slated to host soccer events during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The controlling owner of the Major League Soccer team is City Football Group, which is the parent organization of England’s Manchester City. The venue for the Premier League team was renamed Etihad Stadium in July 2011.
