Gotham FC to Leave Hudson County for New York in 2028

Two-time NWSL champion Gotham FC will leave Harrison for a new home in Queens in 2028, the club announced, ending its run at Sports Illustrated Stadium and leaving the New York Red Bulls as the venue’s lone remaining professional soccer tenant.

Gotham FC will move to Etihad Park, New York City FC’s new soccer-specific stadium in Queens, beginning in 2028. The club will continue to play at Sports Illustrated Stadium, the Harrison venue formerly known as Red Bull Arena, through the 2027 season.

The team has played in Harrison as a secondary tenant to the Red Bulls since 2021, the same year it rebranded from Sky Blue FC to NJ/NY Gotham FC.

“From day one, our ambition has been bigger than championships,” said Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Governor of Gotham FC. “World-class athletes deserve world-class environments, and this move allows us to keep raising the standard for our players, supporters and the game itself.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a noted soccer fan, welcomed the move. “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.

Etihad Park, a 25,000-capacity venue, is set to open in spring 2027. Gotham FC will retain a Hudson County connection through its training operations. The club is separately converting a facility in Whippany, New Jersey, into a 27,000-square-foot performance center, with renovations set to begin late this summer.

The departure leaves the New York Red Bulls as the primary tenant at Sports Illustrated Stadium, which is owned by the Hudson County Improvement Authority. The Red Bulls remain under a lease in Harrison that runs through 2038, with team options through 2058.