NEW YORK (AP) — New York City officials approved a plan Thursday to build a 25,000-seat stadium for Major League Soccer’s New York City Football Club next to the New York Mets’ stadium, Citi Field.
The $780 million soccer stadium, expected to open in 2027, will anchor a 23-acre (9-hectare) redevelopment project in the Willets Point neighborhood that will also include housing, a new public school, retail stores and a hotel.
The new stadium will be New York City’s first venue dedicated to professional soccer. NYCFC, which won the MLS championship in 2021, currently plays home games at Citi Field or at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
“Today’s City Council vote gets us one step closer to bringing this promise to life in Queens -– the World’s Borough will be our home for The World’s Game,” the club’s vice chairman, Marty Edelman, said in a statement released by the city.