Gotham FC Unveils Plans for $35 Million State-of-the-Art Training Facility

For the better part of two decades, the players of Gotham FC—one of the founding franchises of the National Women's Soccer League—operated like nomads. They commuted between borrowed youth fields, shared indoor turf spaces, and occasionally resorted to taking ice baths in trash cans. Even after winning the NWSL Championship in 2023 and 2025, the club lacked a permanent home base.[1][4]

That era of compromise is officially over. On Wednesday, Gotham FC announced plans to construct a $35 million, state-of-the-art training facility in Whippany, New Jersey. The project will transform the former New York Red Bulls training grounds into a 27,000-square-foot campus dedicated exclusively to the women's team.[1][2][6]

Slated to open in the summer of 2027, the privately funded complex represents a monumental leap for the franchise. It will feature three outdoor grass pitches—including one with undersoil heating—and a new pre-engineered metal building housing a full-size indoor synthetic turf field to allow for year-round training without seasonal relocations.[3][5]

"Creating our first dedicated training facility is a major milestone in that journey because it gives our players and staff something every great club needs: a true home," said Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, the governor of Gotham FC. "This investment reflects our belief that world-class athletes deserve world-class environments."[6]

The interior of the facility is designed to rival the best performance centers in global soccer. Plans include a 3,000-square-foot high-performance gym, specialized hydrotherapy and recovery rooms, and a dedicated player lounge. A dining area will feature daily meals prepared by an on-site performance chef, ensuring athletes receive optimal nutritional support.[1][3]

To bring the vision to life, Gotham FC partnered with SHoP Architects, the renowned New York-based firm behind the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and Uber's global headquarters. The design emphasizes sustainable adaptive reuse, transforming the existing Red Bulls infrastructure into a cohesive, athlete-centered campus.[5][6]

A central feature of the redesign is the "Gotham Quad," a timber-intensive social area that connects the various buildings on the property. Dana Getman, a principal at SHoP Architects, described the quad as a warm, communal space designed to foster deep team chemistry and community connection off the pitch.[5]

"Our goal is to create a practice facility that reflects Gotham FC's identity and ambition through a design that is elite yet grounded," Getman noted, emphasizing that the architecture is meant to serve both the physical and psychological needs of elite athletes.[5]

For the players and coaching staff, the facility solves a glaring logistical headache. Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós acknowledged that while the team has been highly successful on the pitch, the lack of a centralized, elite training environment was a competitive disadvantage.[1][6]

"It's always been honestly one of the things that we were probably behind other clubs," Amorós said. "This will elevate the experience for players, staff, and the entire community, and I can't wait to get started."[1][6]

The move also includes spaces designed for the modern realities of professional sports, including a dedicated content studio and press room, as well as designated areas for the families of players and staff. Forward Midge Purce noted that the leadership's strategy "positions our club amongst the best" and will "dramatically impact every player's experience."[6]

From a business perspective, the $35 million project underscores the exploding valuation and commercial viability of the NWSL. The league is currently undergoing a massive infrastructure boom, moving away from the days of shared municipal stadiums and high school practice fields.[2]

The Kansas City Current recently opened CPKC Stadium, the first stadium in the world built specifically for a women's professional sports team, while the WNBA's New York Liberty are constructing an $80 million practice facility in Brooklyn. Gotham FC's investment proves that the New York metropolitan area is keeping pace with this national trend.[2][5]

The Whippany site became available after the New York Red Bulls vacated the premises in late April to move into their own newly constructed complex in Morris Township. Gotham FC has secured a 15-year lease on the Whippany property, which begins on September 1, 2026.[3]

Yael Averbuch West, Gotham FC's president of soccer operations and a former player who experienced the club's nomadic early years firsthand, views the facility as the ultimate realization of the team's potential.[6]

"We are building an environment that allows our athletes to perform, recover, and develop at the highest level every day," Averbuch West said. "This facility represents a major step in aligning our infrastructure with our sporting ambitions and ensures we continue to set elite standards."[1][6]

Renovations on the site are scheduled to begin in late summer 2026. When the doors finally open in 2027, Gotham FC will not just have a new practice field—they will have a physical monument to the permanence and power of women's soccer in America.[1][4]