The New RFK Stadium - The Washington Commanders are moving back to DC

The Washington Commanders New Stadium has been the subject of a lot of speculation. What is this multi-purpose, multi-billion facility going to look like? Who is the architect, and when will it finally open doors?

With many of these details finally settled, Casino Guru News will help you get the full picture of the upcoming New RFK Stadium, which will be arriving at some point in 2030, with groundbreaking due to start this year.

What is the new Washington Commanders stadium?

The New Commanders Stadium is, as its name already suggests, a new home that will house the Washington Commanders National Football League (NFL) franchise.

This is a multi-purpose facility that is arriving in 2030, with groundbreaking getting underway this year - 2026 - and it is due to replace the former Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.

The New RFK Stadium has a projected price tag of $3.7 billion ($1.1 billion of which is from public funding), which could very well increase as construction begins, and a seating capacity of 65,000 people. However, the most recent renderings of the upcoming stadium by design firm HKS indicate that the venue would be able to host more than 70,000 people at once.

The stadium will be owned by the District of Columbia, with operations reserved to the Commanders. The search for a new stadium has been a multi-decade-long enterprise, with Washington beginning to look for a new home as early as 2012 before settling on the DC.

Interestingly, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium previously served as a home to the team from 1991 to 1996.

Where is the new RFK stadium located?

The new Washington Commanders Stadium location will be located at 2400 East Capitol Street SE, Washington DC, USA. This is the site of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, with demolition still in 2026.

Essentially, the $3.7 billion project will replace the old facilities, but also serve as a multi-purpose complex, which will be able to host baseball and football games, as well as stage cultural and entertainment gigs at large scale, owing to its 65,000-70,000+ seating capacity.

The decision to finalize the location of the new Washington Commanders was made when President Joe Biden signed the DC Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act into law on January 6, 2025, although the team had not received an official go-ahead to start building the stadium at that point.

Who is designing the new Washington Commanders stadium?

The new RFK Stadium, which will host the Washington Commanders, is going to be designed and developed by HKS, a global design firm recognized for shaping some of the world’s most iconic sports and entertainment venues, the company confirmed in a press statement on January 15, 2026.

HKS has already developed a string of high-performance facilities that host some of the nation’s sporting elite, including the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, among others.

The concept, revealed in January, showed a roofed stadium facility that will be available year-round and able to host major sporting events, along with cultural and entertainment concerns and exhibitions. HKS has said that the firm was honored to work on what it described as one of the world’s most extraordinary sports and entertainment sites.

"Every design decision is guided by the significance of place – shaped by its local, regional and national history and generations of memories rooted in RFK Stadium," said Mark A. Williams, FAIA, HKS Global Venues Director.

What have the Washington Commanders said about their new stadium?

Perhaps the most excited have been the NFL franchise itself. Washington Commanders President Mark Clouse has welcomed the opportunity to present the visual concept of the new RFK Stadium to the public for the first time, commenting on the occasion of HSK’s first renderings release.

Clouse said that the envisioned new stadium was a worthwhile addition to the DC’s Monumental Axis that embodied the spirit and character of DC. "From the beginning, our focus has been on delivering a best-in-class experience for Commanders fans while honoring the legacy of RFK Stadium and our team," he added.

Initial fans' reaction has been mixed, with some acknowledging that the multi-billion dollar stadium complex looks better than the derelict RFK Stadium, which is being demolished.

Others objected to the hefty price tag of $3.7 billion, making it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built, though still less than SoFi Stadium, which cost $6.75 billion.

Will the new Washington Commanders Stadium have a retractable roof?

The new RFK Stadium will also feature a glass dome, with fans wondering if it would be retractable. As noted by observers, this is unlikely, simply because retractable rooftops at this size rack up too many maintenance costs.

In order to keep costs low and guarantee smooth operations year-round, the HKS stadium will most likely not have an open-air option. Most modern stadiums are also transitioning to the idea of a fully enclosed stadium, or going for the either-or option: with or without a rooftop.

Since the District of Columbia would want to host the Super Bowl at the new venue, keeping the rooftop on makes sense, as February is usually a cold month locally. Bram Weinstein, a popular sportscaster, has already commented that a retractable rooftop is off the table.

The Washington Commanders' new stadium is finally coming

The 2030 opening of the Commanders’ new $3.7 billion stadium at the historic RFK site signals a transformative era for Washington, DC. Designed by HKS, the state-of-the-art, dome-covered venue will seat over 70,000 fans and host NFL games, concerts, and major events year-round, including the Super Bowl.

While its hefty cost sparks debate, the project promises economic benefits and a world-class fan experience.

Image credit: HKS