While Detroit City FC fans will have to wait a little longer to see a new stadium built, the chance to preview it for season-ticket holders already has arrived.
The club announced Tuesday a delayed timeline for the opening of its new stadium, AlumniFi Field, pushing back the opening date from 2027 to 2028.
The stadium originally was slated to be opened in early 2027, but now will be opened in spring 2028, shortly ahead of Detroit City FC’s United Soccer League season beginning.
That news was confirmed in a release Tuesday announcing Detroit City FC has opened a “preview center,” where those with season ticket deposits can come on an appointment-only basis to get a preview of the coming stadium and its various amenities. The preview center is located at The Mercado in Mexicantown.
The release stated that “while planning, design, partnership development, and community engagement continue to advance in the near term, the adjusted timeline is intended to ensure Detroit City FC and its partners deliver the strongest possible fan experience, matchday environment, and long-term community impact.”
AlumniFi Field will be the first soccer-specific stadium in Detroit, and will replace Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, where Detroit City FC currently plays. The new stadium is expected to seat around 15,000 fans and cost around $200 million to construct.
The new stadium has been billed as an economic bulwark for further revitalizing the surrounding area in Southwest Detroit. The project plans also include a 421-space parking garage and a 76-unit apartment building with affordable housing.
A groundbreaking ceremony is expected for July, per the release.
Detroit City FC also shared Tuesday the first renderings of the coming stadium’s interior, produced by Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects. They’ve been tasked with designing “all concourses and public spaces, premium hospitality and team areas,” per the release, around 170,000 square feet worth of space.
“It is a huge privilege to be entrusted with the design of the stadium’s interior for this singular sports club,” David Iannuzzi, a founding partner of the firm, said in a release. “Our goal is to channel the ingenuity and passion of the DCFC faithful directly back into the fan experience. With our experience creating genuine and unique hospitality and sports environments, we are focused on creating a space that feels authentic to the city of Detroit and the spirit of Le Rouge.”
Disbrow Iannuzzi, a Ferndale-based firm, has designed other notable sporting-community spaces, such as Titletown, the area around Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
“Partnering with local firm Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects on AlumniFi Field ensures that every interior space reflects who we are as a club and as a city,” DCFC CEO and co-founder Sean Mann said in the release. “From the supporters’ stands to premium spaces, their designs channel the noise, color, and creativity of DCFC matchdays into a unique and authentic stadium experience worthy of our fans and the City of Detroit.”
The new stadium, in Southwest Detroit, is being built on the site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital (2401 20th St.), which sat derelict for years. The property, seven acres, was purchased in 2024 for $6.5 million by an entity connected to DCFC.
There have been numerous hiccups in trying to proceed with this stadium project.
In 2025 an urban explorer, 22-year-old Brett Dagnese, died in the abandoned hospital, after he fell through a floor while exploring with a group of friends.
The project also dealt with a prior setback in 2025. Work crews had to remove and remediate 1.9 million gallons of water that contained PFAS, known as forever chemicals, and debris that included medical supplies from the former hospital site.
Demolition of the former hospital began in December 2025.
Andrew Graham is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: New Detroit City FC stadium opening pushed to 2028
Reporting by Andrew Graham, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Andrew Graham, Special to The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
