It’s an oasis for the beautiful game.

The soccer pitch at Metropolitan Oval in Maspeth, Queens has been around for more than 100 years. With all of its history, there is also one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline in town. 

What You Need To Know

Metropolitan Oval is a soccer facility in Maspeth, Queens

It opened in 1925 for semi-pro soccer clubs in an area with a burgeoning immigrant population 

The pitch is home to Metropolitan Oval Academy, which helps develop young soccer players 

“We’ve got the best view in New York and there’s a lot of good memories here, you know. There’s a lot of energy that’s you know, good, there’s a lot of good energy,” said Yuva Narayan, a 15-year-old soccer player from Manhattan attending camp with the Met Oval Academy.

Met Oval is the oldest continuously used soccer facility in the nation, opening in 1925 as a home for semi-pro soccer clubs like the German-Hungarian Sport Club. The five acres are surrounded mainly by private homes and businesses. It was saved from development by the nonprofit Metropolitan Oval Foundation in 1999 and is now home to the academy. 

Elijah Duah, 12, of Crown Heights is also attending the camp, and said the pitch is like a second home. 

“It’s a lot of training like on one v. ones, two v. twos, three v. threes, and defending a player, and making sure you are good at both of those things,” said Duah, who aspires to play in college and professional. 

Over the years, everyone from legends like Pele and Carlos Alberto to current United States National Team members Tim Weah and Gio Reyna has played at Met Oval. That’s inspiring to young players like 12-year-old Jac Lammers, who travels from Suffolk County to be a part of the tradition. 

“People have come through this program like professional players, so I look forward to becoming one of them,” said Lammers. 

Edmond “Eddie” Andreski has plenty of memories of Met Oval. He grew up in the neighborhood and played from 1962 to 1970 for the German-Hungarian Sport Club. He called the place simply magical.

“When I come back here, even all of these years later, I’m like I’m transported back in time, yet everything is different. It was all dirt field back then and tons of people watching games and just the excitement is unbelievable, and you do have Manhattan right back over my shoulder and I love it. I think it’s a wonderful place and nothing like it in the world,” said Andreski.