New York City FC and Etihad Airways announced a 20-year agreement for the naming rights of New York’s first soccer-specific stadium, which will be called Etihad Park. The venue, located in Willets Point, Queens, will become the club’s new home starting with the 2027 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
Brad Sims, CEO of New York City FC, highlighted that the stadium symbolizes the club’s commitment to the city. “Etihad Airways has been a fantastic partner of the Club for over a decade, and we are proud that Etihad Park will be the home of our great team. This stadium will be a physical testament to our investment and commitment to New York, becoming a cathedral of soccer in the United States” he said.
The stadium will have a capacity of 25,000 and will be the first fully electric sports venue in New York and across MLS. Additionally, it will be part of a 23-hectare project in Willets Point that includes 2,500 units of affordable housing, a new public school for 650 students, a hotel, and over 150,000 square meters of open public spaces.
The Willets Point project, approved by the New York City Council earlier this year, is expected to generate approximately $6.1 billion in economic activity, 1,550 permanent jobs, and 14,200 jobs during construction, according to official estimates. Sims also noted that the stadium will become a key community space. “Etihad Park is designed to celebrate the essence of the community and the vibrant life of New York’s urban parks, becoming a hub for sports events, concerts, festivals, and community activities”.
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, stated, “This venue will become an iconic sports destination in the United States. Our values as an airline align perfectly with the club’s commitment to New York and the promotion of soccer in local neighborhoods”.
Etihad Airways, a partner of New York City FC since its founding in 2014, has been a key player in the club’s community programs through its foundation, *City in the Community* (CITC). Among its contributions is the creation of 50 mini-soccer fields in New York as part of the New York Soccer Initiative, launched in 2016. Furthermore, along with its partners, the airline has pledged to build 26 additional mini-fields before the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Partnerships between airlines and sports
In the United States and Europe, it is quite common for sports stadiums to bear the names of sponsors. Within the airline industry, examples include the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls; the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Mavericks (NBA) and Dallas Stars (NHL); and Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders (NFL) and UNLV Rebels (NCAA).
Across the Atlantic, there are cases like Emirates Stadium for Arsenal, Etihad Stadium for Manchester City, and Riyadh Air Metropolitano for Atlético de Madrid.
