Construction of the city's first professional football stadium, Etihad Park, is in full swing. The stadium, part of the ambitious Willets Point transformation project, is a sports facility and a symbol of the neighbourhood's rebirth.

Historic event for New York

On Wednesday, December 4, at a groundbreaking ceremony, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Councilman Francisco Moya and representatives of the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) officially launched the construction of Etihad Park. The 25,000-seat stadium is expected to be ready in time for the 2027 MLS season.

Today, we are breaking ground on Etihad Park – our city's first-ever soccer-specific stadium – for NYCFC to call home and finally deliver New Yorkers the soccer stadium they deserve Mayor Adams emphasised.

© New York City FC

More than a green stadium

Etihad Park is the centrepiece of the wider $3 billion Willets Point transformation project. The project includes an additional 2,500 units of affordable housing, of which the first 880 units will be completed by the end of 2026 and another 220 will be for low-income seniors. A 650-seat primary school, or 250-room hotel and retail space will also be built to support the local economy.

The project will also create 14,200 construction jobs, 1,500 permanent jobs and transform more than 40,000 square feet of public space, including a multi-use City Square at the main entrance to the stadium.

Etihad Park will be the first all-electric stadium in Major League Soccer and the first privately financed major sports venue built in New York in a generation. Funding for the stadium was provided by J.P. Morgan, which will avoid the burden on taxpayers. Maria Torres-Springer, First Deputy Mayor, emphasised that this transformational project exemplifies the power of public-private collaboration to deliver affordable housing, good-paying jobs, and a cutting-edge, fully electric sports venue – all while advancing our city's climate goals.

© New York City FC

From “Valley of Ashes” to sporting powerhouse

Willets Point, once known as the Valley of Ashes, will become a vibrant neighbourhood thanks to the transformation project. The area has previously gained prominence with Citi Field, the New York Mets stadium, and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

Councillor Francisco Moya, the prime mover behind the project, emphasised his personal commitment: From the moment that I was elected, I knew that I was going to bring a soccer stadium to Queens. The Willets Point transformation project expects to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years. It also supports local businesses, including those run by women and immigrants.

Through a partnership with the Building & Construction Trades Council (BCTC), all work will be carried out by trade unions. As Jonathan Stemp, director of City Football Group, pointed out: Children, fathers, grandfathers, daughters, wives, grandmothers will be coming to this stadium for generations, and they’re going to build stories together. They’re going to make it a very special place where they’re going to build memories. Due to its strategic location and collaboration with the New York Mets, the stadium will use existing parking infrastructure, minimising the impact on the environment and traffic.

© New York City FC