Goooal!: Mayor Adams backs NYCFC soccer stadium in Mets’ backyard
Mayor Eric Adams will announce Wednesday that he’s backing a plan to build a $780 million, 25,000-seat soccer stadium near Citi Field in Willets Point, Queens, that will be home to the New York City FC, The Post has learned.
Hizzoner’s kick forward comes just days before the start of the World Cup, which will kick off Sunday in Qatar.
The plan also includes a housing complex that will be built by Related Companies and Sterling Equities, whose owners, the Wilpon family, are the former owners of the Mets.
The stadium is expected to be privately financed, sources familiar with the deal said.
Even with the mayor’s blessing, the stadium still will need to be approved through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, a months-long process that will begin early next year and requires passage by the City Council.
Negotiations will include setting aside a portion of housing for subsidized or affordable units for lower- and middle-income New Yorkers, sources said.
The plan is expected to be unveiled at the Queens Museum.
A new stadium for the 2021 MLS Cup champions could be built by 2025, The Post previously reported, but it seems it is expected to be ready by 2027.
Yankee Stadium has been the home of NYCFC — co-owned by the parent companies of Premier League club Manchester City and the Yankees — since their inception in 2013. Recently, however, NYCFC has been nomadic. The club played home games this past season at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. So, the prospect of a permanent soccer-only home would be fantastic news to NYCFC’s loyal fan base.
“It’s welcome news,” said one source familiar with the plan.
“There’s community hiring promised and it looks like there’s going to be a decent number of parking spaces. Also there won’t be games [at Citi Field, for the Mets, and the soccer stadium] at the same time,” the insider said.
The source hoped the additional attractions would help garner support to boost transit options in Queens, including extending the M and the W trains.