Gotham FC moves playoff semifinal to Manhattan due to field damage
The team is swapping its 20,000-seat New Jersey home for a 5,000-capacity venue after a rugby match and an MLS game left the pitch in poor condition.
By Grace Almasi ·
Gotham FC will play its National Women’s Soccer League semifinal against the Kansas City Current on a much smaller field this Sunday. The club announced the venue change on Monday, citing the state of the grass at its usual home ground in New Jersey.
The match, originally scheduled for Sports Illustrated Stadium, will now take place at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in Manhattan. Yael Averbach West, the president of soccer operations, stated that the decision came after consultations with coach Juan Carlos Amorós, team captains, and ownership. She said the club prioritized a playing surface that would allow the athletes to perform at their best.
Amorós had expressed frustration with the field conditions following Gotham’s 1-0 quarterfinal win over the Seattle Reign on Sunday. The coach said he felt an obligation to apologize for the state of the pitch. The field at Sports Illustrated Stadium showed brown spots and divots during that game.
The damage follows a busy schedule for the stadium. The venue hosted Major League Soccer’s Red Bulls in their regular-season finale against Atlanta United on Saturday. Earlier in the week, a rugby match was also held at the same location.
The move to Icahn Stadium significantly reduces the available seating. The Randall’s Island venue holds just 5,000 fans, whereas Sports Illustrated Stadium seats more than 20,000. Averbach West acknowledged the impact on supporters in a letter to fans. She noted that the club was disappointed to lose the opportunity to play in front of its usual large crowd but felt responsible for providing the best possible competitive conditions.
Gotham captain Tierna Davidson addressed the change in a separate message. She described the smaller stadium as the hardest part of the decision. Davidson reminded fans that the team has turned every ground into a home and that this would not change on Sunday.
Tickets for the semifinal will be released in phases. The first phase will be open to season-ticket holders. The club did not specify the exact dates for subsequent release phases in the initial announcement.
The venue issue is not unique to Gotham in the current NWSL playoffs. The Washington Spirit face a scheduling conflict at their home stadium, Audi Field, going into their Saturday semifinal against the Utah Royals. A college football game, the Secretaries' Cup between the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, is also set for that venue.
The Spirit announced Sunday night that their semifinal would be played at Audi Field following their 4-1 quarterfinal victory over the Portland Thorns. It remained unclear on Monday whether the football game would be moved to a different time, day, or location. Organizers had not immediately returned emails seeking clarification.
The winners of the weekend's semifinal matches will advance to the NWSL championship game on Nov. 21. Audi Field was announced as the host venue for the final in June. Gotham enters the playoffs as the top seed and the defending league champions.
