Fort Wayne FC Park – design description

What is the project for the new Fort Wayne FC stadium in a nutshell?

In 2019, a new soccer club was formed in Fort Wayne, Indiana – Fort Wayne FC. The new team joined the league in 2021, starting with appearances in the semi-professional USL League Two.

From the outset, the team had ambitions to play at a higher level – in the professional USL League One (de facto the third level in the US). The club also aimed to build a new stadium and purchased land for its construction in 2021.

The breakthrough announcements came at the turn of 2024 and 2025. In November 2024, the club unveiled plans for a new stadium, and in February 2025, it was announced that the team would participate in USL League One starting in the 2026 season.

Construction of the new stadium began in April 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in early 2026, before the start of the new season, in which Fort Wayne FC will make its debut in USL League One.

The new stadium will be a soccer-specific facility with a capacity of 9,280 spectators. Tall, covered stands are planned on three sides, and a semi-open space with a large video screen is envisioned behind the south goal. The facility will be located in the western suburbs, approximately 5 miles (8 km) from downtown.

How did the design for the new Fort Wayne FC stadium come about?

When was Fort Wayne FC founded?

In 2019, a new soccer club, Fort Wayne FC, was formed in Fort Wayne, the second most populous city in Indiana. The team was scheduled to debut in the 2020 season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2020, it was announced that in the 2021 season the team would join the semi-professional USL League Two (de facto the fourth level in the US). The first venue where the team played its matches in 2021 and 2022 was Shields Field, owned by Bishop Dwenger High School.

Mark Music, president and owner of Ruoff Mortgage, a company specializing in home loans, became the club's main shareholder. DaMarcus Beasley, a well-known soccer player from Fort Wayne, former US national teamer and participant in four World Cups, also joined the group of co-owners.

From 2023, the team played its matches at Bishop John M. D'Arcy Stadium, owned by the University of Saint Francis. Like the previous Shields Field, it was a very modest facility, well below the ambitions of playing at a professional level.

When were plans made to build a new stadium for Fort Wayne FC?

From the beginning, the club had intended to move to the professional USL League One and build its own soccer stadium. In 2021, land for its construction was purchased at a cost of $2 million, located in the western suburbs on Bass Road, next to Interstate 69.

The first concrete reports about Fort Wayne FC building its own stadium appeared in March 2024, when plans were presented to local authorities. On November 4, 2024, the club officially announced its intentions to build a new venue and presented the first renderings.

The stadium is to be built entirely with private funds. In order to implement the investment, the club established cooperation with the developer BND Commercial, and the architectural design was entrusted to the Design Collaborative.

On February 24, 2025, it was also announced that the club would join the professional USL League One in the 2026 season.

When will the new stadium for Fort Wayne FC be built?

Construction of the new stadium began in April 2025. The facility should be ready in early 2026, before the start of the new season, in which Fort Wayne FC is set to make its debut in USL League One. Before the stadium opens, the club intends to offer private entities a range of sponsorship packages, including the opportunity to purchase the naming rights to the facility.

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What does the design of the new stadium for Fort Wayne FC entail?

The new Fort Wayne FC stadium will seat 9,280 spectators, including standing room. Tall, covered stands are planned on the east, west, and north sides, while behind the south goal there will be a semi-open space with modest rows of seats and a large 120-by-35-foot video screen.

The facility will offer a variety of premium options, and a walkway for spectators will run along the stands. The pitch will be sunk 7 feet below the surrounding terrain, and the stands along the field will be divided into two levels. The stadium will include a club shop and four changing rooms.

Although the stadium will be primarily used for soccer, it will also be possible to organize other events, such as concerts, festivals, graduation ceremonies, weddings, corporate events, and other special celebrations.

A large number of parking spaces are planned around the venue. The facility is to be built in the western suburbs of Fort Wayne, about 5 miles (8 km) west of the city center, on Bass Road, in the immediate vicinity of Interstate 69.