Washington football is officially coming home. After decades in the suburbs, the Commanders are set to return to the District with a massive new stadium and surrounding development that will completely reimagine the old RFK site.
This week, the D.C. Council voted 11–2 to greenlight a $3.7 billion agreement to bring the Commanders back to the city. Mayor Muriel Bowser is expected to sign the bill, marking the final step in securing the project. Team owner Josh Harris called it a “historic day” for the franchise and its fans.
Where is the new Commanders Stadium going?
The stadium will be built on the 190-acre RFK Stadium footprint on the banks of the Anacostia River, the team’s home from 1961 to 1996. The District is putting up about $1 billion to demolish the old facility and prep the site, while the Commanders will cover $2.7 billion to build the new venue.
What will the stadium look like?
The centerpiece is a domed, 65,000-seat stadium designed to host not just Commanders games but also Super Bowls, concerts and year-round events. The surrounding development is equally ambitious: six districts featuring a Sportsplex, retail, green space and 6,000 new housing units—30% of which will be affordable.
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What does this mean for D.C.?
The city projects $5 billion in tax revenue over the next 30 years from the project. Council members also pushed through new commitments from the team, including preserving heritage trees on the site and working toward zero-waste operations at the stadium.
When will the RFK stadium open?
Construction will take years. Officials expect the stadium doors to open in 2030, officially welcoming the Commanders—and a wave of new development—back to the capital.
Since 1997, the Commanders have played in Landover, Maryland, far from the city center. The return to D.C. is as much about identity as it is about economics. Harris has repeatedly described the District as the team’s “spiritual home.” Fans can now look forward to kickoff in the heart of the city once again.