Gotham FC’s regular-season match against the Washington Spirit on July 15 will be played at Citi Field in Queens, marking the league’s first-ever game in New York City.

The 2025 NWSL championship rematch — marketed as The Queens Classic — takes place four days before the men’s World Cup final at nearby MetLife Stadium, roughly 20 miles away. The clubs are also aiming to break New York City’s attendance record for a women’s sporting event.

“This summer will be transformational for soccer in our region, and we’re really excited to put women’s sports and our world-class athletes at Gotham FC front and center when a global spotlight is on New York,” Ryan Dillon, Gotham’s chief business officer said in a statement.

“It will be a history-making summer of soccer, and this event ensures that we are a part of that.”

Gotham usually plays its home matches at Sports Illustrated Stadium, formerly Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, N.J. While the NWSL is taking a brief pause for the men’s World Cup group stage, some clubs have been forced to relocate their games because of the tournament. Gotham, it seems, have found a way to make the most of the predicament.

While this marks the first women’s sporting event at Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, the venue has a long history of hosting professional men’s soccer matches. The venue has become a regular home to Major League Soccer’s New York City FC, which will be moving across the street next year to their brand new, soccer-specific stadium, Etihad Park.

Any match between Gotham and the Spirit is appointment viewing.

The Washington, D.C.-based club features Trinity Rodman, who until this week was the highest-paid player in the NWSL and the league’s most marketable. The two teams have also been part of some of the most consequential league matches in recent years.

The club’s budding rivalry dates to 2024, when the Spirit defeated Gotham in the NWSL semifinals after a nail-biting round of penalties at Audi Field. It remains one of the most thrilling postseason matches in NWSL history. Last year, the two sides met again in the postseason, this time in the final and with Gotham winning it all.

“This is one of the most electric matchups in the NWSL, and our fans bring an intensity that demands to be seen,” Kim Stone, the Washington Spirit’s CEO, said in a statement. “Playing in New York City just days before the World Cup final is a moment we’re not taking lightly. The NWSL is women’s soccer at its best, and New Yorkers know a big moment when they see one — this is it.”

Hosting the Spirit in Queens marks a significant step for Gotham as they re-center themselves in the New York City market. This has been a years-long push by the club, with its move from Yurcak Field in central New Jersey to then-Red Bull Arena in Harrison. the most notable step in that direction. The latter is more accessible for city-based fans, given its proximity to the PATH.

Gotham also released a third kit this season, featuring obvious nods to New York City.

Dubbed the Lady Liberty kit, the jersey’s design goes all-in with blue and orange, representing the colors of the New York City flag. It’s a very loud message that the club is anchoring itself alongside some of the biggest teams in the market, like the New York Knicks or, ironically in this case, the New York Mets. Both teams are known for their use of the same palette. Yet, for longtime fans of the club, the orange represents a subtle nod to the club’s origins as Sky Blue FC.

When Gotham announced its 2026 schedule, it listed the location for their July 15 as “to be determined.” The club already had plans to host the Seattle Reign on July 18 at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island in Manhattan, meaning the club will be playing in the New York City market twice in the same week. The club debuted there last year when it hosted CF Monterrey for the opening match of the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup at the venue.

The hope is that this July 15 match will break the attendance record for a women’s sporting event in New York City. The record-setting 2023 U.S. Open Final at nearby Arthur Ashe Stadium, featuring Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka, drew 28,143 fans.

It’s unclear how seats will be configured at Citi Field for the NWSL fixture. The stadium has a capacity of roughly 42,000. In September, NYCFC’s match against Inter Miami drew 40,485, the MLS club’s highest-attended home crowd of the season.

Gotham also said on Tuesday that it plans to hold “a meaningful combination” of discounted and free tickets to the match for community nonprofits and fans from underrepresented populations.