1 hour ago
1
John KeimJan 15, 2026, 01:28 PM ET
- John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on 'The John Keim Report', which airs on ESPN Richmond radio.
The Washington Commanders released their first renderings of a new stadium that's still four years from opening -- and the future field is a nod to their past as well as its city surroundings.
The renderings show a 70,000-seat transparent domed stadium that rises on the sides and will allow for views of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. Steel beams on the outside give the stadium a resemblance to RFK Stadium, which housed the franchise from 1961-96. Washington currently plays approximately 20 miles away at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
One person with knowledge of the project said the interior design will maximize crowd noise as the team hopes to, finally, regain a home-field advantage akin to what they enjoyed at RFK.
While at RFK, they also won three Super Bowls, appeared in two others and endured only five losing seasons in their final 26 years on the site. Conversely, they've had only eight winning seasons since moving into their current home at the start of the 1997 season.
The nearly $4 billion project is expected to be completed in time for the 2030 season. Washington owner Josh Harris, as well as D.C. city officials, have made it known they want to bid on larger projects such as the Women's World Cup in 2031 and a future Super Bowl.
Washington hired the firm HKS to design the stadium. HKS also has designed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Washington's stadium will anchor a mixed-use development project.
The pictures include other buildings that are considered placeholders; at least 30% of the 180-acre site will be devoted to public recreational facilities.
Washington team president Mark Clouse said in a statement that the renderings "worthy of its extraordinary site along DC's Monumental Axis and truly embodies the spirit and character of the District."
