The Washington Commanders/Redskins have played at Northwest Stadium since the 1997 season, and it remains the team’s home. It cost $251 million to complete, which is equivalent to $492 million in 2024. The stadium is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, about five miles east of Washington, D.C.
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That said, after nearly 30 years at Northwest Stadium, the Commanders are set to relocate for the 2030 season to a new stadium. In April 2025, the team and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled plans to build a new home at the site of RFK Stadium, located on East Capitol Street. The new venue will serve as the team’s future home, marking the end of their tenure at Northwest Stadium.
The RFK site was home to the team from 1961 to 1997. The stadium still stands, and the new venue would feature a dome, seating around 65,000 people. Owner Josh Harris mentioned the team would also explore playing on a grass turf.
The proposed cost to build the new stadium is estimated at $3.7 billion. One of the key elements of the deal includes the D.C. government receiving two complimentary 18-person suites at the 30-yard line for exclusive use by the Mayor and Council.
The team will sign a 30-year lease with D.C. to use the stadium, team offices, and parking facilities. Washington will also sign a 60-year lease for the commercial development and will be responsible for maintaining the stadium to “the level of a world-class comparable NFL stadium.”
As part of the agreement, the Commanders will pay nearly $1 million annually to rent the stadium.
With the Commanders’ deal to relocate to the RFK site, the agreement includes some interesting details. Notably, the team won’t be required to pay property taxes on the land used for the stadium and parking areas.
The deal also mandates the stadium be used as actively as possible. Washington must aim to activate the venue for at least 200 days per year, including NFL games, concerts, and other sporting/entertainment events. The term sheet even suggests the stadium could eventually host a professional women’s soccer team.
D.C. and the Commanders could terminate the deal at any time. And if that’s the case, each party is responsible for its own expenses and costs.
Change comes with mixed feelings, but the future stadium is generating excitement for this new era of the Washington Commanders. Washington won three Super Bowls from 1982 to 1991 and played in five Super Bowls while calling RFK Stadium home. They’ll be looking to taste another Super Bowl with the new regime now in place.
