RFK Stadium stood on the banks of the Anacostia River for more than six decades as Washington, D.C.’s most storied sports venue, and it is now in its final months of demolition to make way for the Washington Commanders’ new home. Long after its last game, fans still search for what happened to the stadium, when it will finally come down, and what is rising in its place.
This guide covers RFK Stadium’s full history, the teams and championships it hosted, its exact demolition timeline through 2026, and the details confirmed so far about the new stadium planned for the same site.
Quick Answer
RFK Stadium is closed and has been almost entirely demolished. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium opened in 1961, hosted the Redskins, Senators, Nationals, and D.C. United through 2017, then sat vacant for years. Structural demolition began in January 2025, and by mid-2026 the last major steel elements had come down, with full site clearance expected by fall 2026 to make way for a new Washington Commanders stadium targeted to open in 2030.
Stats at a Glance
Teams: Washington Redskins (NFL, 1961–1996), Washington Senators (MLB, 1961–1971), Washington Nationals (MLB, 2005–2007), D.C. United (MLS, 1996–2017). Address: 2400 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. Opened: October 1, 1961. Original Name: District of Columbia Stadium (1961–1969).
Peak Capacity: 56,454 for football, a mark set December 22, 1996; capacity was reduced to roughly 46,000 after 2005 renovations for the Nationals. Construction Cost: $24 million (1961). Current Status: demolition nearly complete as of mid-2026, with full clearance expected by fall 2026.
A Pioneer of the Multipurpose Stadium Era
RFK Stadium was conceived as a single venue that could serve multiple sports franchises simultaneously, a radical idea in 1961 when most cities still built separate ballparks and football grounds. Designed by architect George Dahl, its movable seating sections allowed the field to be reconfigured between baseball and football layouts, spawning the ‘cookie-cutter’ stadium era that defined American sports architecture through the 1970s.
Renamed in 1969 to honor the assassinated senator and former U.S. attorney general, the circular concrete bowl became an architectural template copied in cities from Atlanta to Cincinnati, and its upper deck became legendary for physically swaying when crowds stomped in unison.
Teams, Championships and Iconic Events
The Redskins played at RFK from 1961 through 1996 and captured three Super Bowl titles — XVII, XXII, and XXVI — during their tenure there. The stadium’s largest football crowd, 56,454 fans, watched Washington close out RFK with a win over Dallas on December 22, 1996. The Senators played baseball there from 1961 until relocating to Texas after the 1971 season, and the Nationals used RFK as their first D.C. home from 2005 to 2007 before moving into Nationals Park.
D.C. United called RFK home for its entire existence from 1996 to 2017 and won three MLS Cup championships there, cementing the stadium’s role as a cradle of American professional soccer. RFK also hosted group-stage matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup and nine soccer matches during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and its stands drew concerts from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Michael Jackson.
Demolition Timeline: From Farewell to Rubble
D.C. United played the last professional sports game at RFK Stadium in October 2017, and the team relocated to Audi Field the following season. A farewell public event was held in September 2019, but the concrete bowl then sat idle for years on federal land managed by the National Park Service. Because the site belonged to the federal government, tearing it down required an act of Congress to transfer jurisdiction to the District of Columbia, which happened via legislation passed in 2024. Building abatement had already begun in 2023, and the National Park Service approved demolition in April 2024, clearing the way for structural work to start in January 2025.
By late 2025, crews had progressed into the stadium’s iconic upper bowl, and by spring 2026 the last vertical steel elements were removed, leaving the site largely cleared. Complete demolition is expected to wrap up in fall 2026. Events DC, which oversees the site, has reported that roughly 95 percent of demolition waste has been diverted from landfills and recycled, including tens of thousands of tons of concrete reused on site along with thousands of tons of structural steel, metal, and asphalt.
The New Stadium at RFK Campus (Opening 2030)
The Washington Commanders have secured approval to build a new stadium on the RFK campus, currently referred to in planning documents as the New Stadium at RFK Campus. HKS, the architecture firm behind several major NFL venues, was named lead architect and unveiled initial renderings in January 2026 showing a roofed stadium with a transparent, cable-net ‘anticlastic’ roof designed to keep a lower profile toward the U.S. Capitol. Planning submissions list a seating capacity around 65,000, while the Commanders have said the bowl will be able to hold more than 70,000 for major events.
The project carries an estimated price tag near $3.8 billion, financed as a public-private partnership in which the Commanders are contributing roughly $2.7 billion toward the stadium and a parking garage, while the District is funding about $500 million in surrounding infrastructure. Foundational site work began in 2026, with groundbreaking targeted for late 2026 or early 2027 and vertical construction expected to begin in spring 2027 ahead of a targeted 2030 opening. The broader RFK campus redevelopment is also expected to include parks, mixed-use development, and improved riverfront access along the Anacostia.
Visiting the RFK Campus Today
Because the RFK campus is an active demolition and construction site, it is closed to the public and there are no tickets, tours, or scheduled hours to visit the old stadium bowl. Fans hoping to see the site or follow its progress should rely on official channels rather than showing up unannounced.
Events DC, the District agency overseeing the site, posts periodic photo and video updates on its demolition page, and the District’s own project site tracks the redevelopment timeline and community engagement events. For the most current, verified information on site access, construction milestones, and the new stadium’s opening timeline, check the official OurRFK site and Events DC’s RFK demolition updates page.
RFK Stadium history and demolition FAQs
When did RFK Stadium close, and has it been demolished?
D.C. United played the last professional sports game at RFK Stadium in October 2017, and the stadium hosted a public farewell event in September 2019 but otherwise sat vacant. Structural demolition began in January 2025; as of mid-2026 the last major steel elements had been removed, with complete demolition expected by fall 2026.
What teams played at RFK Stadium?
RFK Stadium was home to the Washington Redskins (NFL, 1961–1996), the Washington Senators (MLB, 1961–1971), the Washington Nationals (MLB, 2005–2007), and D.C. United (MLS, 1996–2017), making it one of the most multi-sport venues in American history.
What is being built on the old RFK Stadium site?
The Washington Commanders are building a new roofed stadium on the RFK campus, designed by HKS with a transparent cable-net roof and a listed capacity around 65,000 (up to 70,000-plus for events). The roughly $3.8 billion project is targeted to open in 2030.
Where was RFK Stadium located?
The stadium sat at 2400 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003, on federal parkland along the Anacostia River just east of Capitol Hill.
Can you visit the RFK Stadium site right now?
No. The site is an active demolition and construction zone closed to the public, with no tours or scheduled visiting hours. Check the official OurRFK and Events DC pages for approved public events and construction updates.
What was RFK Stadium’s seating capacity?
RFK held a record 56,454 fans for its final Redskins football game in December 1996. After renovations for the Nationals in 2005, capacity for baseball was reduced to roughly 46,000.
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