Green light for Commanders’ new stadium

Article posted by Coliseum, September 29^th, 2025

Image: District of Columbia

The NFL’s Washington Commanders will soon have a new home after the D.C. Council voted in favour of the team’s $3.8 billion stadium project.

USA Today said the final approval means the Commanders are set to move back to the district following nearly three decades in Landover, Maryland.

The agreement will see the Commanders build a new 65,000-seat venue on the RFK Stadium site, which served as the home for the franchise from 1961 to 1996.

The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington Metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference East Division.

They currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, US, located five miles East of Washington, D.C. From 2004 until 2010, it had the NFL’s largest seating capacity at 91,000 and currently is in a position to pack in 62,000 fans.

Team owner Josh Harris said: “With the council’s approval, we can now move forward on the transformative RFK project that will bring lasting economic growth for our city.

“This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication between Mayor Bowser, Chairman Mendelson, the council and the countless community, business and labor leaders whose voices and input helps shape the process every step of the way.

“We are deeply grateful for the warm return to the district and the center of the DMV and look forward to officially bringing the team back to its spiritual home in 2030.”

The stadium is set to open in 2030, just in time to host big events like the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and potentially the Super Bowl.

RFK Now!, a grassroots campaign organized by community members, also celebrated the deal.

Malcom Fox, Executive Director of Opportunity DC and Organizer of RFK Now! said in a statement, “This once-in-a-generation deal will benefit District residents for decades to come.

“The $3.7 billion investment in Ward 7 will help create the housing, jobs and small businesses necessary to ensure more District residents can afford to live here and have the opportunities to thrive.”

USA Today further stated that in July, the mayor expressed some concern that the deal initially announced in April would fall apart, with only four council members expressing their support at the time.

Bowser said, “I’m concerned right now that everybody buckle down and get to work.

“I’m not concerned about our deal. Our deal is solid. It pays off for D.C. And at the end of the day, I think everybody wants the same thing.”

Delays in the voting process also saw the expiration of the exclusive negotiating window for the team, opening up the possibility of the team exploring other areas.

Council president Mendelson maintained that he wouldn’t hold a vote on the project during the council’s summer recess, refusing to commit to a vote in early September.

The Commanders issued a statement at the time, highlighting the concerns with delaying a vote, saying it would jeopardize the stadium’s ability to host those marquee events.

Despite those obstacles, the project is now a reality and provides a light at the end of the tunnel at their current home.

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