Mayor Eric Adams will announce Wednesday that he supports a plan to build a 25,000-seat soccer stadium near Citi Field in Willets Point, Queens, to be the home of New York City FC, The Post has learned.
Hizoner’s move forward comes just days before the start of the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar on Sunday.
The plan also includes a residential complex to be built by Related Companies and Sterling Equities, whose owners, the Wilpon family, are former Mets owners.
The stadium is expected to be privately financed, sources familiar with the deal said.
Even with the mayor’s blessing, the stadium will still have to be approved through the Unified Land Use Review process, a months-long process that will begin early next year and require council approval.
Sources said the talks would include setting aside a portion of the housing for subsidized or affordable units for lower- and moderate-income New Yorkers.
The plan will be presented at the Queens Museum.
A new stadium for the 2021 MLS Cup champions could not be built until 2025, The Post previously reported, but it appears that it will be ready by 2027.
Yankee Stadium has been the home of NYCFC, co-owned by the parent company of Premier League club Manchester City and the Yankees, since their inception in 2013. Lately, however, NYCFC has had a nomadic status. Last season, the club played home games at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. So the prospect of a permanent soccer-only home would be fantastic news for NYCFC’s loyal fans.
The plan also includes a housing complex to be built by Affiliates and Sterling Equities.
A new stadium for the reigning MLS Cup champions could be built by 2025.
The plan will be presented at the Queens Museum.
“This is welcome news,” said one source familiar with the plan.
“A community lease has been promised and it looks like there will be plenty of parking. There will be no games either [at Citi Field, for the Mets, and the soccer stadium] at the same time,” the insider said.
The source hoped the additional sights would help garner support for increased transit options in Queens, including expanding the M and W trains.
