Summer 2027 move in date at Etihad Park

Article posted by Coliseum, March 9^th, 2026

Image: New York City FC

New York City FC will kick off the action in their new Etihad Park stadium at the beginning of the 2027-28 Major League Soccer (MLS) season in the summer of 2027.

NYCFC said before the calendar change, MLS will stage a transition season from February to May 2027, featuring a 14-game regular season, playoffs, and MLS Cup.

The Club will play home matches during that transition season at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

New York City Football Club, sometimes shortened as NYCFC, is an American professional soccer club based in New York City (US). The club competes in MLS as a member of the Eastern Conference. The 46,537-capacity Yankee Stadium in New York currently serves as their home ground.

Etihad Park is the new, 25,000-seat, fully electric soccer-specific stadium being built for NYCFC in the Willets Point neighborhood of Queens (US).

Privately funded and constructed entirely by union labor, the project anchors a larger 23-acre neighborhood development featuring 2,500 new affordable housing units, a 650-seat public school, a brand-new hotel, and more than 150,000 square feet of public open space.

Brad Sims, New York City FC CEO, said, “We cannot wait to welcome our fans for the first-ever New York City FC match at Etihad Park.

“Construction is progressing incredibly well, and we remain on schedule. With Major League Soccer transitioning to a new competition calendar, we believe the right moment to open Etihad Park is at the start of the 2027-28 season — aligning our new home with the beginning of a new era for both our league and our Club.”

Sims said that opening for a full season ensures fans can experience Etihad Park from day one, rather than in the middle of a transition year.

He added, “This approach allows us to properly celebrate our final matches at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, prepare thoughtfully for the move, and build toward a definitive and historic opening that reflects what this moment means for us and our city.

“In the months leading up to the 2027-28 season, we will host test events to ensure everything is ready for opening day.

“We are incredibly grateful for our fans’ continued support and look forward to beginning this next chapter together at Etihad Park.”

The new stadium is made to fit in a narrow, jagged footprint within the larger Willets Point Project site.

It features a rectangular-shaped structure with the Southeast corner cut off by the existing Willets Point Boulevard and the Northwest corner framed to match.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.