While it has been nearly 30 years since Washington’s NFL team has played a game in the District, the Commanders are reportedly closer than ever before to signing a deal with the D.C. city council that will bring them back ‘home’ from their current stadium in Landover, Maryland.
While the Commanders have been playing in Landover since 1997, the stadium has been plagued with issues ranging from reportedly poor field quality for the players leading to injuries to stadium infrastructure breaking at the expense of paying fans for years.
So, while the news of a new stadium coming soon is no surprise, the question is more about where it will be located.
What is the deal between the Commanders and the D.C. City Council, and has it been finalized?
No official statement has been made saying any deal has been completed that would bring the Commanders back to the District; however, it’s now being widely reported that the city council and the Washington Commanders are ‘close’ to a $3 billion deal.
The alleged deal would have the District’s government contribute roughly $850 million to the stadium project, while the Commanders would foot the remaining $2.5 billion of the bill.
According to the same reports, the structure of the deal’s financing would allow D.C. to pay $500 million between 2026 and 2030, and the remaining $350 million would be paid off in 2032 through tax revenue generated from the new development.
When is the new stadium going to be built?
According to the Commanders’ new owner, Josh Harris, who has been vocal about his interest in returning the team to the District, a reasonable target would be a completed new stadium by 2030.
Plus, given that this deal reportedly stipulates that the new stadium be completed by 2030, it further insinuates that the project could start as soon as this year if the deal were to go through!
Where is the new stadium going to be located?
All signs point to the stadium taking over the currently decrepit RFK Stadium site, which has been ostensibly abandoned since 2017.
As of March 2025, the demolition of the current RFK Stadium has been underway for just a few months, with mostly interior sections being broken down, whereas it’s expected that demolition of the exterior will commence in April.
According to the Events DC site, the demolition will cost $25 million and is expected to run through Fall 2026.
Why are people opposing this deal?
Those opposing this deal are not without reason; building a new Commanders Stadium in the District would definitely impact property value in the District.
Given the already high cost of living in the District, with options for affordable housing around Washington, D.C. being limited, to say the least, many are upset to see such a high budget of taxpayer funds being used for the stadium rather than affordable housing.
What is the new RFK Stadium going to look like?
Considering the deal has yet to be finalized, it is not guaranteed that a new stadium will be built at the RFK site at this point.
However, some exciting proposals have been made, such as the design from a Virginia Tech Grad that went viral earlier this year.