Commanders Unveil First Look Inside New Stadium With RFK-Inspired Seating Bowl

The Washington Commanders released the first interior renderings and animation of the team's new stadium seating bowl, inspired by the old RFK Stadium. Global design firm HKS created the imagery, and it is intended to "bridge past and present by showcasing the team's focus on recreating the loud, intense, and intimate atmosphere that defined the franchise's championship era through a continuous, unified bowl," according to the team's website. The approximately 65,000-seat enclosed stadium is expected to be completed in 2030 and will anchor the 180-acre campus at the former RFK Stadium site.

Heading back home nearly 34 years later 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/AeRC4vdcn9
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 16, 2026

"Our vision for the new stadium is to create a world-class venue that honors the legacy of RFK while setting a new standard for the fan experience," said team president Mark Clouse. "Every aspect of the design is intended to amplify the energy and intensity of the crowd, create an immersive shared viewing experience, and bring fans closer to the action. Through innovative technology and acoustics designed to maximize crowd energy, the stadium will deliver one of the loudest environments in sports while reflecting the character and pride of the District."

The design itself is where the RFK influence really shows. HKS built the bowl as one continuous sweep from the field to the upper deck, without stacked premium levels breaking everything apart. The first row will also sit above the playing surface, giving fans a cleaner view over the sideline while increasing the feeling that everyone is right on top of the field.

Rendering of the Washington Commanders’ proposed new stadium interior, highlighting the steep, continuous seating bowl and wraparound video displays designed to keep fans close to the field and amplify crowd noise. | HKS/Washington Commanders

"We designed this bowl from the inside out, starting with a single question: what should it feel like when every fan is part of the game?" said HKS architect Aaron Hollis. "Every decision, from the steepness of the seating to the elimination of overhangs, was driven by that question. The result is a single, unified bowl where nothing separates the fans from the action or from each other."

The noise factor is also a big part of the design. By eliminating stacked sections and keeping overhangs to a minimum, there is less to block sightlines or absorb crowd noise. The seating angles, continuous bowl, and roof are all intended to capture that noise and push it back down toward the field. Washington is clearly trying to create something that feels intimidating again, not just another modern stadium loaded with premium seating and giant screens.

That doesn't mean they're ignoring the technology. The stadium will include large sideline boards and paired end-zone boards, with a halo seamlessly connecting them in a continuous digital wrap around the bowl. There will also be a "Wall of Fans," a dedicated section for some of the team's most passionate supporters, with affordable seating included in the plan.

These are still renderings, so plenty can change before the stadium is finished. But this is easily the clearest look yet at what Washington wants the inside of the building to feel like, and it is obvious the team is leaning hard into something fans have wanted since leaving RFK: getting that atmosphere back.

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