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 Aerial view of the stadium in 2019 | |
  Audi Field Location within District of Columbia Show map of District of Columbia Audi Field Audi Field (Chesapeake Bay) Show map of Chesapeake Bay Audi Field Audi Field (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Address | 100 Potomac Avenue SW |
|---|---|
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 38°52′06″N77°00′46″W / 38.868411°N 77.012869°W /38.868411; -77.012869 |
| Public transit |  Washington Metro: atNavy Yard–Ballpark |
| Owner | District of Columbia |
| Operator | D.C. United |
| Capacity | 20,000 |
| Field size | 115 yd × 75 yd (105 m × 69 m) |
| Surface | Bermuda grass |
| Current use | Soccer Football Rugby |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 27, 2017[1] |
| Opened | July 9, 2018 (ribbon cutting)[2] July 14, 2018 (first game)[3] |
| Construction cost | $450 million |
| Architect | Populous[4] Marshall Moya Design[5] |
| General contractor | Turner Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| D.C. United (MLS) (2018–present) Washington Spirit (NWSL) (2018–present) Loudoun United (USLC) (2019) DC Defenders (UFL) (2020–present) DC Power (USLS) (2024–present) | |
| Website | |
| audifield.com | |
Audi Field is asoccer-specific stadium in theBuzzard Point neighborhood ofWashington, D.C. It is the home ofD.C. United,DC Power FC, andWashington Spirit soccer teams, and theDC Defenders football team. The stadium has a capacity of 20,000. Previously, D.C. United had explored sites in theWashington metropolitan area. Following the failure of an initial stadium proposal in 2006, D.C. United made two additional stadium proposals that also failed to be built. In January 2011, the club explored using previously unused land at Buzzard Point to build a stadium; this was confirmed in July 2013, when Buzzard Point was announced as the stadium location. The ground-breaking ceremony occurred in February 2017, with construction completed in July 2018.
D.C. United and Major League Soccer commissionerDon Garber raised concerns about scheduling conflicts with theWashington Nationals atRFK Stadium in July 2004, with Garber stating that asoccer-specific stadium in Washington, D.C. "needs to become a priority".[6] Later that year, D.C. United unveiled a proposal to build a 24,000-seat stadium atPoplar Point along theAnacostia River, to open in time for the 2007 season.[7] The stadium's size was later increased to 27,000 and incorporated into amixed-use development on the site to the revitalize the Anacostia neighborhood, with the support of Ward 8 councilmemberMarion Barry after he initially opposed the stadium.[8][9]
The stadium project was neglected by the city's leadership during the debate over abaseball stadium atNavy Yard.[10] After a change of ownership for D.C. United in January 2007, the $200 million stadium project was moved into public review, where it drew criticism over its public financing,gentrification, and displacement of residents.[11][12] By mid-July, the Poplar Point plan was abandoned and D.C. United began looking at other locations for the stadium.[13]
Despite the failed bid, then-MayorAdrian Fenty opted to have a closed-door meeting in February 2008 to discuss the city funding $150 million for the club.[14] However, despite a short-lived renewed interest, when the D.C. Council recessed in July 2008, the plan never was brought up, and ultimately died after the main developer for the Poplar Point project withdrew their funding.[15]
In February 2009, the team announced plans for a new stadium in nearbyPrince George's County,Maryland, close toFedExField. This proposal ran into similar trouble, however, when the Prince George's County Council voted to send a letter to theMaryland General Assembly opposing the stadium plan.[16]
Originally, D.C. United proposed building a stadium at Poplar Point on the Anacostia riverfront in Washington, D.C. as part of a planned 110-acre (0.45 km2) mixed-use development that would have included a hotel, offices, housing, and retail.[17] Plans were formulated as early as 2005 and were formally announced in January 2007.[18]
However, in July 2007, the talks stalled between the team and city officials. There were disputes over the financial arrangements proposed by the team, which would have the city providing $200 million in subsidies and development rights while the team assumed construction costs.[19] In January 2008, the team announced it was looking at other possible sites in the area for construction of the new stadium.[20]
In February 2008, Washington, D.C., mayorAdrian Fenty suggested at a closed-door city council meeting that the city might offer as much as $150 million towards the costs of building a soccer stadium at Poplar Point. There was apparently renewed interest on the part of the city in providing public funds for the stadium at Poplar Point.[21] However, in July 2008, the D.C. Council recessed without considering the proposed stadium plan.
With sites in Maryland entering the discussion,[22] negotiations continued throughout 2008 before collapsing in early 2009 as the developer pulled out of the project.[23]
Maryland first expressed an interest in United as talks stalled in summer 2007. In February 2009, United co-owner Victor MacFarlane announced the team would seek a new stadium inPrince George's County.[24]
However, county officials began expressing concerns about revenue from the stadium in March. On April 7, the Prince George's County Council voted to outline its concern to theMaryland General Assembly about proposed state legislation that would authorize a feasibility study for the new stadium. The legislation stalled in theMaryland State House and died without the support of the Prince George's Council.[25]
Following the failure of the Prince George's County proposal, United began surveying fans about the possibility of relocating toLoudoun County, Virginia;Frederick County, Virginia; orMontgomery County, Maryland.[26] However, no public negotiations ever began.
In October 2009,Baltimore mayorSheila Dixon asked theMaryland Stadium Authority to explore building a soccer stadium to serve as D.C. United's home, as well as to host concerts, lacrosse games, and other events. A potential location mentioned for the stadium was the 42-acre (170,000 m2) Westport Waterfront project, and the proposed stadium would have had access to light rail and Interstates 95 and 295.[27]
Meanwhile, in March 2010, MLS commissioner Don Garber criticized Washington, D.C., politicians for how long it had taken to find D.C. United a permanent home stadium.[28]
Discussions continued with Baltimore and other sites in Maryland, with a feasibility study released in December 2010.[29] However, the club opted to refocus its efforts on finding a location within the District of Columbia.
In May 2015, team officials visited potential sites inLoudoun County, Virginia, and met with county and state officials about building a stadium in Northern Virginia rather than Washington. Virginia GovernorTerry McAuliffe's economic development team suggested sites inWoodbridge, Virginia, and Loudoun, while Loudoun County officials had multiple meetings with team officials. In a letter to the team, Loudoun economic development director Buddy Rizer wrote that a stadium in Virginia would be $38 million cheaper than in D.C. and would be ready by the 2017 season, which the team claimed was not possible in Washington.[30]
In January 2011, the Web site Greater Greater Washington reported that the club was looking into building a stadium in theBuzzard Point neighborhood in the city.[31] The project involved land owned by the Akridge Development Co. only a few blocks fromNationals Park.[32] By May, according toThe Washington Post, the team was also considering a stadium at a site near the Capital City Market (now known as Union Market)[33] and theWestport neighborhood ofBaltimore.[34]
In late May 2012, D.C. United was sold to a group led by Indonesian businessmanErick Thohir and attorneyJason Levien, with former principal owner William Chang remaining as a minority partner. The new owners said Buzzard Point remained their preferred option for a new stadium site.[34] A few days after the sale was announced,The Washington Post obtained a confidential draft report, commissioned by theGreater Washington Sports Alliance (a private, nonprofit foundation), which said a 24,000-seat stadium would cost $157 million to build (which did not include the price of land). Construction of the stadium could generate $19.5 million in wages and $38 million in spending. The completed stadium would likely employ 600 to 800 part- and full-time jobs and generate $5.5 million to $7.3 million a year in tax revenue. The study assumed the stadium would include an $82 million mixed-use development as well.[35]
On July 25, 2013, the District of Columbia and D.C. United announced a tentative deal to build a $300 million, 20,000–25,000-seat stadium atBuzzard Point.[36][37][38] The deal required the District of Columbia to obtain the Akridge land at Buzzard Point in exchange for cash and title to the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center (the city's primary government office building, located in the desirableShaw neighborhood). D.C. United would contribute $150 million to construct the stadium on the city-owned land, which it would lease for 20 to 35 years. The deal also gave D.C. United the right to build restaurants, bars, and even a hotel nearby.[39] The Buzzard Point plan—formally termed the District of Columbia Soccer Stadium Act of 2014—was approved by the D.C. City Council on December 17, 2014.[40]
The December legislation significantly revised the July 2013 agreement. No longer would the city give Akridge a building and cash; now, the city would pay fair market value for the Akridge land. If a deal could not be reached through negotiation, the legislation gave the city the right to useeminent domain to seize the land.[41] In another revision, the city agreed to contribute the $150 million to purchase land for the stadium. $89 million of this amount was for land acquisition. Another $61 million would be to improve utilities, remove toxic and hazardous wastes, and clear the land for construction. D.C. United also agreed to spend at least $150 million for stadium construction.[42] The legislation did not provide the club with $7 million insales tax breaks it sought, but did give it $43 million inproperty tax credits.[43] Outgoing MayorVincent Gray signed the bill into law on December 30 as one of the final acts of his term.[44]
Negotiations between the city and Akridge began in January 2015. D.C. Council ChairmanPhil Mendelson was downbeat about the talks, saying the two sides were "very far apart" on a price.[41] In February, club officials estimated that the stadium would take 14 to 16 months to construct.[45] MayorMuriel Bowser, Gray's successor, budgeted $106.3 million in fiscal 2016 to acquire the stadium site, add infrastructure (such as water, sewer, electrical, and natural gas lines), and remove toxic hazards at the site.[46] The budget provided for borrowing $106 million and reprogramming $32 million away from the city's school modernization program to pay for the city's stadium costs.[43] The D.C. City Council began working on legislation to permanently close several city streets that crossed the stadium land in April 2015.[42]
As the city and club came close to finalizing its lease agreement in May, D.C. United began talking with city, county, and state officials inVirginia about abandoning the District of Columbia and constructing a stadium inNorthern Virginia. The talks became public knowledge on June 1. D.C. officials were outraged, although they conceded the initiative was probably just a negotiating tactic to get the city to sweeten its deal.[47] The controversy did not appear to harm the talks, as on June 8, D.C. United and the city signed a final construction agreement. The agreement required that the facility seat a minimum of 17,000 people and established the term of the lease at 30 years for a nominal $1 per year. The agreement also contained a clause governing land: If the cost of land acquisition rose above $150 million, D.C. United was required to reimburse the city 50% of the excess (although the club's commitment was capped at $10 million). The club was also barred from playing more than an occasional home game away from the Buzzard Point stadium (i.e., barred from relocating for the lease term).[48] Mayor Bowser then submitted the agreement, as well as land purchase agreements and a revised developer agreement, to the City Council for approval. The land purchase agreements paidPepco $39.3 million for land and $1 million to remove electrical generation equipment from its site, $15.9 million for land owned by Super Salvage, and $10.32 million for land owned by venture capitalistMark Ein. The cost of the land purchase agreements was offset by a deal for Pepco to purchase a $15 million city-owned parcel of land at 1st and K Streets NW. The council approved the land purchase agreements on June 30, 2015.[42]
Under the terms of the June 8 agreement, D.C. United was required to submit a concept design for the stadium to the city by September 1, 2015. The District of Columbia faced a deadline of September 30, 2015, to use eminent domain to acquire the Akridge land, which forced the club to commit to building a stadium before the city finished purchasing land.[43] On September 30, the District of Columbia filed for eminent domain for the Akridge parcel.[49]
On February 15, 2017, German automobile manufacturerAudi and D.C. United announced a "long-term" naming rights deal for the new stadium.[50]The Washington Post reported the deal was for a minimum of twelve years.[50] Audi's United States headquarters are located inHerndon, Virginia, a suburb of Washington.[50] Construction began two weeks later with a ceremonial groundbreaking.[1]
Audi Field had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 9, 2018. The first-ever opening match held in Audi Field was aMajor League Soccer match between D.C. United andVancouver Whitecaps FC on July 14, 2018, which ended in a 3–1 win for D.C. United in front of a sellout crowd of 20,504 people.[51] A sideline reporter was injured after being hit by a piece of the railing before the game.[52]
The grass pitch at Audi Field was criticized following aUnited States women's national soccer team friendly on July 16, 2024, where patches and discoloration were visible. The stadium had hosted arugby union friendly the day before and was preparing for a busy fall schedule for three teams—D.C. United, the Washington Spirit, andDC Power FC.[53] TheBroccoli City Festival, a two-day music festival, was also scheduled to begin on July 27 ahead of a2024 Leagues Cup home match forD.C. United.[54] During preparations for the festival, the grass surface was further damaged and forced the Leagues Cup match on July 31 to be relocated toSubaru Park inChester, Pennsylvania,[55] while a new pitch was scheduled to be installed.[56]
Audi Field is within 1 mile (1.6 km) of theNavy Yard–Ballpark station of theWashington Metro. The station is served by theGreen Line. It is also served by Potomac Riverboat Company shuttle services on match days.[57] TheDC Circulator system operated buses to the stadium until the 2019 season.[58]
In addition to serving as the home stadium for D.C. United, Audi Field occasionally hosts other soccer matches.[59] On August 25, 2018, in aNational Women's Soccer League regular season match, the hometownWashington Spirit lost 1–0 to the visitingPortland Thorns FC.[60] The Spirit returned to Audi Field for two matches in the 2019 season, against theOrlando Pride on August 24 andReign FC on September 14.[61] The Spirit transitioned toward making Audi Field their primary home venue. In2020, they played four home games at each of three venues—Audi Field; their original home of theMaryland SoccerPlex in Montgomery County; andSegra Field, home of D.C. United'sUSL Championship reserve sideLoudoun United FC inLeesburg, Virginia. In 2021, the Spirit played seven home games at Audi Field and five at Segra Field.[62]
On September 3, 2018, theMaryland Terrapins men's soccer andVirginia Cavaliers men's soccer teams drew 0–0 in the first collegiate soccer match played at Audi Field.[63]
Loudoun United used Audi Field for three home games in their inaugural 2019 season while its permanent venue ofSegra Field was under construction.[64]
TheUnited States men's national soccer team played an international friendly match againstJamaica at Audi Field on June 5, 2019.[65] The US lost 1–0.[66] The USMNT played at Audi Field again in aCONCACAF Nations League game againstCuba on October 11, 2019. The US won 7–0.[67]
On October 29, 2022, Audi Field hosted the2022 NWSL Championship.Portland Thorns FC defeated theKansas City Current 2–0 with 17,624 fans in attendance. This was the first time that the NWSL Championship was broadcast in prime time.[68]
The stadium hosted the2023 Major League Soccer All-Star Game in July 2023. The game had 20,621 spectators, which is a record for the stadium.[69] This attendance record is followed closely by the 19,897 fans in attendance at the Washington Spirit vs San Diego Wave match on June 15, 2024.[70]
The stadium hosted theUnited States women's national soccer team send-off game againstCosta Rica on July 16, 2024, before the2024 Summer Olympics inParis.
Audi Field hosted two friendly matches forArsenal to play againstWashington Spirit on August 18 and againstChelsea on August 25, 2024.[71]
Audi Field was one of twelve venues to host the2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
In its inaugural season, thePremier Lacrosse League played three games at Audi Field the weekend of July 6–7, 2019.[72] In its third season, the Premier Lacrosse League played its championship game at Audi Field on September 19, 2021.[73]
In July 2024 theUSA Eagles (Men's side) hostedScotland in the first internationalrugby union match at Audi Field.[74] The U.S. lost 7–42 in front of 17,418 fans.[75]
It was announced in March 2025 that Audi Field would host its second USA Eagles test match, for both the Men's and Women's sides in July 2025, with the men playing England and the Women playing Fiji.[76][77]
| Date | Side | Home | Result | Away | Competition | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 12, 2024 | Men |  United States | 7–42 |  Scotland | Test match | 17,418 | [75] |
| July 19, 2025 | Men | United States | 5–40 |  England | Test match | 19,079 | [78][79] |
| Women | United States | 31–24 |  Fiji | Test match | 15,198 | [78][80] |
In 2020, theDC Defenders of theXFL began playing their home games at Audi Field.[81] Their first game was on February 8, 2020, with the Defenders defeating theSeattle Dragons by a score of 31–19.[82] After three home games, the XFL season was suspended and ultimately canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The Defenders won all three games at Audi Field.
Upon the XFL's return in 2023, the Defenders resumed playing their home games at Audi Field,[83] winning their first game back at the venue, once again against Seattle, 22–18.
| Date | Winning Team | Result | Losing Team | Tournament | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2019 |  Jamaica | 1–0 | United States | International Friendly | 17,719 |
| October 11, 2019 | United States | 7–0 |  Cuba | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A | 13,784 |
| September 27, 2022 |  Peru | 4–1 |  El Salvador | International Friendly | |
| June 15, 2023 |  Venezuela | 1–0 |  Honduras | International Friendly | |
| July 19, 2023 | Arsenal | 5–0 |  MLS All-Stars | 2023 MLS All-Star Game | 20,621 |
| Date | Winning Team | Result | Losing Team | Tournament | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6, 2022 | United States | 2–1 |  Nigeria | International Friendly | 18,869 |
| July 16, 2024 | United States | 0–0 |  Costa Rica | International Friendly | 18,972 |
| August 18, 2024 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Washington Spirit | Club Friendly | 15,062 |
| August 25, 2024 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Arsenal | Club Friendly | 17,130 |
| July 2, 2025 | United States | 3–0 | Canada | International Friendly | 19,215 |
| Date | Time (UTC−4) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2025 | 21:00 | Al Ain | 0–5 |  Juventus | 18,161 |
| June 22, 2025 | 18:00 | Red Bull Salzburg | 0–0 |  Al-Hilal | 16,167 |
| June 26, 2025 | 15:00 | Wydad AC | 1–2 | Al Ain | 10,785 |
| Preceded by | Home of D.C. United 2018 – present | Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by | Home of the Washington Spirit 2019 – present | Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by First stadium | Home of the DC Defenders 2020 – present | Succeeded by Current |
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