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New Commanders Stadium

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Coordinates: 38°53′24″N 76°58′19″W / 38.89000°N 76.97194°W / 38.89000; -76.97194
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New Commanders Stadium
New RFK Stadium
Conceptual rendering
New Commanders Stadium is located in District of Columbia
New Commanders Stadium
New Commanders Stadium
Location in Washington, D.C.
New Commanders Stadium is located in the United States
New Commanders Stadium
New Commanders Stadium
Location in the United States
Address2400 East Capitol Street
LocationWashington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates38°53′24″N 76°58′19″W / 38.89000°N 76.97194°W / 38.89000; -76.97194
Public transit
OwnerEvents DC
OperatorWashington Commanders
TypeMulti-purpose stadium
Genre(s)
  • Sporting events
  • concerts
Capacity65,000
Acreage180 acres (73 ha)
SurfaceTBA
RoofCovered
Construction
Broke ground2026 (proposed)
Opened2030 (planned)
Construction cost
  • $2.7 billion (stadium)
  • $1 billion (campus)
ArchitectTBA
Tenants
Washington Commanders (NFL) (c. 2030)
Website
OurRFK.DC.gov

New Commanders Stadium is a proposed domed multi-purpose stadium to be constructed in Washington, D.C. It is planned to have a capacity of 65,000 and will serve as the home venue of the National Football League (NFL)'s Washington Commanders. Annouced in 2025, New Commanders Stadium is planned to be built on the former site of RFK Stadium, the team's home venue from 1961 to 1996, located on East Capitol Street near the Anacostia River in D.C.'s Hill East neighborhood. The project is set to cost $3.7 billion, consisting of $2.7 billion for the stadium and $1 billion for the development of shops, restaurants, and residences on the campus. If approved, groundbreaking is planned to begin in 2026 with the expected completion by 2030.

History

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See also: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
New Commanders Stadium is planned to be built upon the site of the defunct RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Since 2012, the National Football League (NFL) team Washington Commanders, then known as the Washington Redskins, had been looking to build a new stadium on the site of the former RFK Stadium to replace their current home venue of Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.[1] The team played its home games at RFK Stadium from its opening in 1961 to 1996, with it sitting vacant since the soccer team D.C. United left for Audi Field in 2018. Partial demolition of the stadium began in 2023.[2] Other locations for a new stadium considered by the Commanders included Oxon Cove Park in Maryland and Sterling, Dumfries, and Woodbridge in Virginia.[3][4][5]

On January 6, 2025, U.S. president Joe Biden signed the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984) into law, transferring control of 180 acres of land surrounding the stadium, located about 2 miles (3 km) east of the U.S. Capitol building on East Capitol Street near Whitney Young Memorial Bridge and the Anacostia River, from the federal government to the city government through a 99-year lease.[6] On April 15, 2025, a group of D.C. voters submitted a ballot to the Board of Elections seeking to pass an initiative that would prevent a new stadium from being built on the campus.[7] The initiative would amend zoning laws to designate the site as a special purpose zone and explicitly forbid any part from being used for a stadium or arena.[8] On April 28, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris held a press conference annoucing plans to build a 65,000-seat covered-roof stadium on the former RFK Stadium site.[9][10] The deal is pending approval by the D.C. Council, with legislation introduced on June 25, 2025, that separates the stadium project from the city's 2026 budget discussions and allows the council to hold additional public hearings on it.[11]

Design and construction

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The project is set to cost a total of $3.7 billion, with $2.7 billion being contributed by the Commanders for the stadium, the largest private investment in D.C.'s history.[9][10] The District is to invest an additional $1 billion in infrastructure and campus development such as new roads and parking garages, hotels, shops and restaurants, parks, an additional Kingman Park residential district, and an indoor track and gymnastics sportsplex.[9][10] New Commanders Stadium is planned to have a covered roof, with the goal of able to host Super Bowls and other events like the FIFA World Cup and WrestleMania.[12] The stadium is planned to break ground following the completion of RFK Stadium's demolition in 2026 and is expected to open in 2030.[13][9] Architects and construction firms are to be determined at a future date.[9]

New Commanders Stadium will be owned by the government of the District of Columbia through their sports and entertainment authority Events DC and operated by the Commanders.[12][14] In addition to its main use for Commanders games and other sports, the stadium will attempt to host a minimum of 200 other events annually such as music concerts and graduations.[12] The Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) as an additional tenant was also suggested as a possibility.[12] The Commanders will retain their corporate headquarters in College Park, Maryland, and training facility in Ashburn, Virginia.[9] It is unknown if the stadium will be named after Northwest Federal Credit Union, who sponsors their current home venue.[9]

References

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  1. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan; Heath, Thomas (August 29, 2014). "Redskins, Olympic backers both eye new stadium at RFK". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  2. ^ Flynn, Meagan (May 2, 2024). "RFK Stadium officially set to be demolished". The Washington Post.
  3. ^ Broom, Scott (December 10, 2018). "The possible Redskins stadium site you've never heard of". WUSA9. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  4. ^ Jhabvala, Nicki; Vozzella, Laura (February 25, 2022). "Commanders eye three possible sites in Virginia for new stadium, entertainment complex". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  5. ^ Keim, John (May 23, 2022). "Source: Washington Commanders spend $100 million on land in Virginia for possible stadium". ESPN. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  6. ^ Whyno, Stephen (January 6, 2025). "Biden signs RFK Stadium land bill into law, a step toward potential Commanders stadium in Washington". AP News. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  7. ^ Gathright, Jenny (April 16, 2025). "D.C. activists launch ballot initiative for 'homes not stadiums' at RFK". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  8. ^ "Homes Not Stadiums Legislative Text". Homes Not Stadiums. April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Flynn, Meagan; Fortier, Sam; Jhabvala (April 28, 2025). "D.C., Commanders announce $3.7B deal to move team to RFK Stadium site". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Keim, John (April 27, 2025). "Commanders, D.C. reach deal for new $4B stadium at RFK site". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  11. ^ Segraves, Mark (June 25, 2025). "Bill introduced to separate Commanders stadium debate from DC budget process". NBC Washington. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d Jhabvala, Nicki; Maske, Mark (April 28, 2025). "Commanders' stadium plans could put D.C. in the Super Bowl mix". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "What's next for the RFK Stadium demolition". WTOP. February 6, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  14. ^ "Term Sheet For the Redevelopment of a Portion of the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium Campus" (PDF). documentcloud.org. April 28, 2025. p. 8. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
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