Standing on the construction site of Etihad Park, New York City FC’s new home, adjacent to Citi Field in Queens, it’s hard to forget you’re in New York.
From the supporters’ porch, fans can see the New York City skyline in the distance; NYCFC chief operating officer Jennifer O’Sullivan said the “town square” will feature a food court with local vendors from the five boroughs, and the venue will feature many other “visual reminders that this is New York.”
O’Sullivan explained that maintaining a New York City feel was intentional, given that NYCFC has led a nomadic life since its inception more than a decade ago.
“It’s very important to us because we’ve been looking for our home for 12 years,” O’Sullivan said after giving a media tour of the construction site ahead of NYCFC’s 1-1 draw with LAFC at Citi Field on Saturday. “We want people to know exactly where they are when they enter the building, so it’s really important to us to have it represent this community and this city. I hope that when everyone walks through here, they feel like we succeeded in doing that.”
Construction at Etihad Park is expected to be completed next spring, with the club planning to host several Test events ahead of the first match at its new home on July 17, 2027.
While construction on the new building is still underway, NYCFC officials touted the vision on Seaver Way.
A number of seats have been installed in various sections of the lower and upper bowls, and work is underway on the “Cube,” a seven-story LED-lined entrance expected to welcome 65 to 70 percent of fans to the stadium. The grass pitch has also been installed and is expected to be completed before the arrival of cold winter temperatures.
However, the new stadium brings affordability concerns, as fans across the sports world see ticket prices rise.
Tickets are already on sale for the premium hospitality area, but general admission tickets are not yet on sale.
O’Sullivan said the club’s “aim” is to “ensure there is an affordable price point for everyone”.
New York FC’s chief operating officer boasted that the club is focusing its attention on general admission areas of the stadium to provide “value” to fans coming to Etihad Park, noting that the quality of the food will be on par with more exclusive areas of the stadium.
“Everyone deserves to have a truly unique and valuable fan experience, so it’s really important to us and making sure that the price point for those fans is something they can afford – something that they feel like they’re getting their money’s worth,” she said.
O’Sullivan did address concerns related to a Premier League financial scandal that could affect the MLS club, New York FC’s sister club Manchester City, saying “there are no concerns in New York”.
While the club has shown signs of its bright future, its current situation is less glamorous. New York City FC’s season has been in disarray since August, with the club recording just one regular-season win in its past 12 games.
What’s even more worrying is that New York FC have not won a game in Major League Soccer (MLS) and they have already conceded their first goal of the season. Saturday was no exception, as the club conceded the first goal to LAFC, but a goal early in the second half cost Los Angeles the lead and eventually tied the game.
Despite this, New York FC has played some lackluster football for a while and they have struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities that could change the course of the game.
“Somehow we’re always reminded of that,” New York FC head coach Pascal Janssen said. “So if you don’t reward yourself enough in these games, it’s going to be a very tight game and every mistake you make late in the game is going to cost us dearly.”