New York City FC (NYC FC) has signed a sponsorship deal for its planned 25,000 capacity stadium, which mirrors that of its English Premier League sister club.
The Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit has partnered with Etihad Airways in a naming rights deal for the stadium. Located in the Queens borough of the city, the stadium will be christened Etihad Park.
The sponsorship of NYC FC’s new stadium is also an expansion of a pre-existing relationship between the club and the airline. The company’s relationship with the club has mirrored its associations with Manchester City and Melbourne City, having been the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor since 2014.
“This is an historic announcement for New York City FC, Etihad Airways, and New York City. Etihad Airways has been a fantastic partner to the club for over a decade, and we are proud to call Etihad Park the home of our great club,” said Brad Sims, New York City FC CEO.
“For over a decade, we’ve been investing in New York with a vision of building the city into one of the soccer capitals of the world. Etihad Airways has been alongside us every step of the way and we’re thrilled to be making this announcement with them.
“Etihad Park will be the physical evidence of our deep and longstanding investment in New York City and will become a cathedral of soccer in the US.”
NYC FC is co-owned by the City Football Group, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi United Group private equity firm and which also owns Manchester City, the 2023/24 Premier League champions.
Etihad has a history of partnering with City Football Group-owned clubs, being the front-of-shirt and stadium sponsor of Manchester City and a front-of-shirt sponsor of Melbourne City.
Meanwhile, the construction of the stadium comes at a time of growth for association football/soccer in the US. The MLS has been experiencing rising spectator numbers, viewership and commercial revenue.
The addition of prominent players like Lionel Messi to the league has driven growth, and stakeholders expect the 2026 World Cup to continue this trend. NYC FC and City Football Group have detailed an ambition to turn New York City into a capital of soccer in the US, as referenced by Sims, which the stadium plans form a core part of.
Etihad has been playing a role in this prior to the newly announced stadium sponsorship agreement. The airline is a notable partner in the New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI), a $3m project to build and maintain 50 mini-pitches across the city and expand free soccer programming.
Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways CEO, said: “We are delighted to sponsor the naming rights of this fantastic venue, which I am sure will become a landmark sports destination in the US. We have been backing New York City FC since the start in 2014 and this marks the latest chapter in our support for the Club.
“Our values as an airline align perfectly with New York City FC and their commitment to New York City, through promoting soccer in the local neighborhoods and providing spaces for everyone to play.”
Construction of New York’s Etihad Park will begin in 2025 and is expected for completion in 2027, at a cost of around $780m. NYC FC is privately funding the entire operation, which has required it to take a number of factors into consideration like go-to-market analysis, product design and development consultation.
