Etihad Airways and New York City FC reach a 20-year agreement for stadium naming rights in the MLS.

• The team's new stadium in New York City FC will be exclusively named after Etihad Airways for 20 years as a result of a naming rights deal between the two parties.
• The construction of Etihad Park is being funded privately, and the financial details of the deal have not been made public.
• The new venue will be part of a larger development project in Queens, New York.

The 2027 Major League Soccer season will see New York City FC's new stadium with a familiar partner's name.

Etihad Airways has secured exclusive naming rights to the new venue in Queens, New York, which will be known as Etihad Park for the next 20 years. This agreement strengthens the partnership between the two parties, which has been ongoing since 2014.

In an interview with CNBC, New York City FC Chief Executive Officer Brad Sims stated that the upcoming commercial agreement is likely to be the most significant in the club's history.

The new stadium represents a significant advancement for the club, as it currently hosts home games at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field. According to Sims, the new venue presents valuable partnership prospects, with the naming rights agreement being particularly noteworthy.

The construction of Etihad Park is being funded privately, and the financial details of the deal have not been made public.

The public-private development in Queens will include not only Etihad Park but also 2,500 new affordable housing units and a public school.

The stadium will host a variety of events beyond MLS games, including concerts and festivals in the surrounding area.

"From a business standpoint, commercially, it is crucial for us to have those events due to its multi-purpose potential in this space," Sims stated.

He emphasized the importance of the building being vibrant and not just open 17 times a year and dark the rest of the year for the local community.

In 2025, over 300 sports stadiums worldwide will be constructed or renovated, with a focus on multi-use, according to Deloitte's projections.

According to Deloitte Principal Pete Giorgio, having an anchor like a stadium can help create flow through people, generate buzz, and build local connections with businesses, ultimately propelling these things forward.

Sims explains that the new stadium name, Etihad Park, is a tribute to New York City's renowned green spaces.