Commanders stadium controversy: “My position has been that there should be no public money; the D.C. treasury should not be funding a stadium”
It seems the Commanders may be returning to their former home.
According to reports, the Washington Commanders have secured a deal that will see them return to the site of their former stadium, a place of great success across many years for the team.
Sources familiar with the situation say that the organisation have reportedly struck a deal with the District of Columbia to build a new stadium where RFK Stadium still stands; it was where they played football between the years of 1961 to 1996. Between 1982 and 1991 they played in five Super Bowls and won three, adding to its historic appeal.
At present, the side have a contract with Maryland to play at Northwest Stadium until early in the 2027 season, although the deal would continue past that should a new stadium be under construction at the time.
The #Commanders have agreed to a deal with the District of Columbia to build a new stadium at the site of RFK Stadium, where they had their greatest success. An official announcement is expected Monday morning, per @john_keim.https://t.co/r1yzY5GgG3 pic.twitter.com/XFASR1W4Yy
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 28, 2025
‘Public funds should not go toward a stadium’
Both the Commanders owner and the Washington mayor seem to be on the same page regarding the future plans. The former, Josh Harris, has said he wants a new stadium by 2030 while the latter, Muriel Bowser, has made it clear that a stadium, housing, parking facility, hotels and retail space would be included in the 174-acre site, all aimed at attracting the Super Bowl.
ESPN report that while terms of the deal have not been announced, “multiple outlets reported earlier this month that the cost would exceed $3 billion" and official confirmation of the plan could come as soon as early this week.
However, where the money comes from is a controversial topic, with public funds needing approval from the D.C. Council: “I’ve maintained that public funds — specifically money from the D.C. treasury — should not go toward financing a stadium,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) told the Washington Post earlier this month.
The report from ESPN adds that the Washington Commanders had, at one time, considered staying in Landover, Maryland, and building on the site of their current stadium and that Ashburn, Virginia - where the team has practiced since 1992 - was also in contention until this year.
JUST IN: The district & the Washington #Commanders have agreed on a three-billion-dollar deal to build a new stadium at the site of RFK Stadium.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 28, 2025
The team plans to contribute $2.5 billion to building this beautiful new stadium.
The stadium is expected to be one of the nicest 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wN5C3rQb4B
The Washington Commanders made five selections in the 2025 NFL Draft: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon, Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss, Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech, Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona.
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