New NYCFC stadium holds topping out ceremony

Field Level Media|published: 03/25/2026, 5:58pm EDT

Mar 13, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A view of the NYFC field logo before the game against the Toronto FC at Yankee Stadium. Toronto tied New York City, 2-2. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York City FC held a topping out ceremony for their new stadium Wednesday, with Ethiad Park in Queens set to be ready by the start of the 2027-28 MLS season.

A ceremonial steel beam was placed on the east side of the $780-million stadium and contained signatures of the construction crew along with a painted inscription that read, "New York City FC. The FC Made in NYC."

The 25,000-seat venue sits across the street from the New York Mets' Citi Field. The MLS club has played the majority of its home games at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx since it made its debut in 2015.

While the 2026 MLS season is the final one to be contained within the same calendar year, the league will play an abbreviated 14-game schedule next spring in advance of the first season that begins in the summer, to align MLS with the top leagues around the world.

As of now, NYCFC's new stadium is scheduled to open in March or April 2027.

Etihad Park has already been selected to host soccer matches during the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

--Field Level Media