The Washington Commanders have reached a deal with the District of Columbia to build a new stadium where the team played for more than 30 years, and the first renderings of the venue look incredible.
The Commanders have been cleared to return to the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium site in Washington, D.C., which they called home from 1961 through 1996. The stadium is still intact, but a new one will be built in its place. It is estimated that the new venue will cost around $3.7 billion, with the Commanders paying $2.7 billion of that.
JP Finlay of NBC Sports shared a rendering on Monday of the proposed new stadium, which Commanders owner Josh Harris is hoping will be ready in 2030.
The stadium is expected to feature a glass roof and views of the U.S. Capitol.
NEW: Rendering of the new RFK Stadium with a glass roof and views of the US Capitol. Timeline to open stadium in 2030. pic.twitter.com/ZJOLUf3ecy
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) April 28, 2025
If that design were to play out, the new RFK Stadium would easily be one of the most unique sports venues in the world.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stopped just short of confirming the news about the Commanders’ new stadium at an unrelated press conference on Monday. He did, however, say that the chances of the franchise landing a Super Bowl would improve “dramatically” with a new stadium
Roger Goodell on how much a new stadium will help attract a Super Bowl: "I didn't come here to announce that but I would say dramatically."
— John Keim (@john_keim) April 28, 2025
Many were surprised in December when a Congressional bill calling for the renovation of RFK Stadium passed. That paved the way for the Commanders to return to D.C. as early as 2027, when their lease at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., is set to expire. It sounds like it while be a while after that before the new stadium is completed, however.
The Commanders, who were formerly known as the Redskins, played in five Super Bowls and won three during their first tenure at RFK Stadium, which is one reason the site is so popular among the team’s fans.
There have also been some major infrastructure issues at Washington’s current stadium, so news of the franchise’s return to D.C. will draw an overwhelmingly positive reception.
