RFK Stadium Washington: Where History and Sports Meet

Yes, Washington, we have professional soccer teams, and they play at RFK Stadium Washington. The DC United and Washington Freedom men’s and women’s teams now play out of this historic locale that once was home to the Washington Redskins and former Nationals. RFK Stadium Washington, named after the late Robert F. Kennedy, hosts games and a cheering fan section that consistently tries to replicate the joy of soccer as seen everywhere else around the world -- except in the United States.

Located on the eastern outskirts of Capitol Hill, near the neighborhood of Anacostia, in a not-so-nice neighborhood, RFK Stadium still retains its glory, particularly every time DC United scores a goal. Once the home of the Washington Redskins, the once shiny stadium is a little less glamorous but is almost a perfect setting for the so-called “alternative” sport of soccer.

Opened in 1961 and renamed RFK Memorial Stadium in 1969, it was actually a multipurpose stadium. Its circular shape was intended to allow different sporting events and concerts to be held there. The Washington Redskins, its major tenant from 1961 through 1996, shared its space with the Washington Senators (DC's former professional baseball team) in the 1960s, causing many viewing issues and retrofits like rolling bleachers to be made to accommodate the two sports. Later, the Washington Nationals would play here until 2007, when the team moved to its own stadium. The Beatles played their second-to-last public concert there in 1966, and the Grateful Dead played numerous shows at RFK.

The stadium holds 46,000, but DC United and Washington Freedom rarely, if ever, sell out, so tickets are not even sold in the upper sections, except when David Beckham debuted in the United States with LA Galaxy. Otherwise, there’s an official cheering section that sits on the unpopulated side, singing songs and screaming loudly to make up for the otherwise lack of enthusiasm for the sport, though its participating fans are faithful to the players. Other soccer matches have been played here, including the Women’s World Cup and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

HelloWashingtonDC Tip: RFK Stadium Washington isn’t all that bare-bones, although it clearly still resembles a baseball stadium without the diamond. Several vendors provide equally expensive treats, and the stadium is easily reached by Metrorail (Stadium-Armory station, the last dual Orange-Blue line station heading east into Maryland).

RFK Stadium DC United sports soccer Washington DC