November 11 – Defending champion Gotham FC will host the National Women’s Soccer League semifinal against the Kansas City Current at Icahn Stadium in New York on Sunday, moving the game from Sports Illustrated Stadium due to the condition of the pitch.
Icahn Stadium, on Randall’s Island, holds about 5,000 people and has a grass field surrounded by a track. It regularly hosts fan events and some NYCFC II games. Gotham played there in July when SI Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey was unavailable during the World Cup.
The problem arose in Sunday’s quarterfinals, which Gotham won 1-0 against the Seattle Reign without a shot on goal. Players and coaches from both sides described the surface as “atrocious”. SI Stadium had hosted a USA Rugby doubleheader on Oct. 30, two days before Gotham’s regular season finale, and last week the NWSL fined Gotham $10,000 for the field in that game. The players’ union said it had not been informed of the fine.
Gotham, the league and the New York Red Bulls, the main tenants of the stadium, spent Sunday night and Monday trying to agree on a way to resolve the field. The Red Bulls have the final say on any work, and no settlement has been reached.
“After thoughtful consultation with coach Juan Carlos Amorós, our team captains and our ownership, we felt it was important to prioritize a playing surface that allows our athletes to perform at their best,” said Gotham President of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West.
Club co-owner Carolyn Tisch Blodgett said: “We exhausted all possible avenues before making this decision, and we are deeply disappointed that so many of our fans will not be able to experience this moment with our team.”
Defender Tierna Davidson spoke directly to fans. “A smaller stadium means a lot of you won’t be there, and that’s the hardest part of this decision,” he said. “We’ve never needed a perfect environment to make a place our own. Bring everything you’ve got on Sunday and we’ll leave it all on the field.”
The move costs Gotham about 20,000 seats for a semifinal, a week after selling 3,000 discounted tickets in one day for the quarterfinals. The club is moving to Etihad Park in Queens in 2028.
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