MLS: NYCFC had ‘long, agonizing process’ on stunning $780m, 25,000-seater soccer stadium in Queens

New York City FC endured a ‘long and agonizing process’ to get permission to build their own stadium, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed.

The Major League Soccer club have exciting plans to build a $780m stadium – the first ever soccer-specific stadium in New York – which will be ready in time for the 2027 MLS season.

It will be based next to Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball team New York Mets, and also neighbors Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open.

Up to now, NYCFC have been playing at Yankee Stadium and in New Jersey and Al Mubarak – who is also Manchester City chairman – has opened up on how pivotal having their own stadium will be.

‘This has been a very long and agonizing process, (it is) not easy to build a stadium in New York City, very, very hard,’ Mubarak said.

New York City FC are building New York’s first ever soccer-specific stadium in the city

The $780 million, 25,000-seater stadium is set to be ready for the 2027 MLS season 

The stadium is going to be based in Queens, near where the New York Mets play baseball  

‘It’s very important to have your stadium, you know that in any team. We’ve built, I think a great organization, a great club, a great fan base in New York. And now we’re going to give this team a wonderful stadium.

‘It’s critical. That’s crucial. Today we’re playing effectively in another team’s stadium and by the way, another team that doesn’t play football. We’re playing in a baseball stadium. 

‘So, of course, I think, what we’ve done given the constraints, has been incredible. 

‘But this team needs its stadium and that will add tremendous value to the community. It’ll create jobs. It will create, I think, a home to this great club. And that’s critical.’

The stadium will feature a ‘iconic, activated cube entranceway’ and across the top of the building, the name of the stadium, named after a yet-to-be-decided sponsor, will be displayed in big, bold lettering.

NYCFC won the MLS Cup in 2021 but fast forward to 2023 and it is less of a successful campaign at present.

The team sits 11th in the Eastern Conference, three points outside the playoff positions. The team returns to action on Wednesday night against Atlanta United.

MLS has recently been galvanized by Inter Miami’s stunning signing on Lionel Messi, who will join the team after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain officially expires.

Until now, NYCFC has been playing most of its home games at Yankee Stadium 

The team started in MLS in 2015 under the assumption of its own stadium in New York 

NYCFC chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the franchise fought hard to build its own home

His first game is set to be July 21 in the new Leagues Cup that MLS is launching. NYCFC don’t play Miami until September 30 in MLS.

NYCFC was announced as an MLS expansion club in 2013 and debuted in the 2015 season.

It was created under the assumption that the franchise would strike a deal to build a stadium in New York City.