The Washington Commanders are officially returning to D.C. with new stadium. The team and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a historic agreement on April 28, 2025 to bring the NFL franchise back to the nation’s capital, making the announcement in a social media video that was narrated by Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Theismann. Theismann talked in the video about his experiences playing at RFK Stadium and what a new stadium would mean to the city.
The new stadium will be built on the site of the old RFK Stadium, the Commanders’ home from 1961 to 1996 before they relocated to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Groundbreaking on the project is expected next year, subject to approval by the D.C. Council, with the new stadium set to open in 2030.
Under the deal announced on April 28, 2025, the Washington Commanders will return to D.C., investing $2.7 billion in a new stadium at the historic RFK Stadium site, while the city will contribute approximately $1.1 billion over the next eight years toward the broader redevelopment project. The broader development will transform 170 acres along the Anacostia River into parklands, residential space, and a sports complex. Just 16 acres will go toward the stadium itself.
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Mayor’s budget proposal reallocates $395 million
In her Fiscal Year 2026 budget unveiled on May 27, Mayor Bowser repurposed $395 million that the city had set aside for a now-canceled jail project. The city now earmarks that money for site preparation, utilities, roads, and other foundation work at RFK.
The Council must approve the $1.1 billion in city spending (including the $395 million reallocation). Debate centers on ensuring community benefits—and avoiding a large annual subsidy—before officials can finalize the lease. A vote will likely occur in the first two weeks of June.
Once the Council grants approval, crews will tear down RFK’s old structures to clear the site. Officials haven’t fixed demolition timelines yet but expect work to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
Major construction work on the stadium itself will start in the fall or winter of 2026, after teams complete all planning, permits, and site work.
Parallel to the stadium build, the plan includes new parks, housing, retail spaces, a sportsplex and other amenities across the RFK campus. Early phases of those surrounding developments will roll out beginning in 2027 through 2029.
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What the Commanders’ New Stadium in D.C. Means for Fans and the City
The road to returning to D.C. has been a long time in the making. The new ownership group of the Commanders, which purchased the team from Dan Snyder in 2022, weighed potential sites in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. A breakthrough was made earlier this year when Congress passed a bill granting the District authority over the RFK Stadium site — legislation that was signed into law by President Joe Biden after aggressive lobbying by team owner Josh Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
As exciting as the possibility of the Commanders return to D.C. is, there are still challenges ahead. The stadium deal still needs to be approved by the D.C. Council, and not all members are on board. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and others have questioned the use of public funds for the stadium.
“I don’t believe taxpayer money should be spent on a stadium,” Mendelson said to The Washington Post earlier this month.
As talks continue, this much is sure: The Commanders’ long anticipated homecoming is closer than it has been in years — and if all aligns properly, fans could be cheering in a state-of-the-art new stadium at the historic RFK site by the start of the next decade.
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Commanders’ New Stadium in D.C.: Project Factsheet
Project Overview
The Washington Commanders will return to Washington, D.C. with a new stadium at the historic RFK Stadium site, ending their stay in Maryland that began in 1996.
Timeline:
Groundbreaking expected next year (pending approval)
Stadium completion targeted for 2030
Investment:
Total development: Approximately $4 billion
Commanders contribution: $2.7 billion
D.C. government: $1.1 billion over 8 years
Development Scope:
170-acre redevelopment along Anacostia River
Stadium footprint: 16 acres
Additional features: Green spaces, housing, sports complex
Commanders’ New Stadium: Key Milestones
Agreement announced by Commanders and Mayor Muriel Bowser
Congress transferred RFK land control to the District
D.C. Council approval still required, with some opposition from Chairman Phil Mendelson and others
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