Washington Spirit to Take on Rival Gotham FC at Citi Field in Queens Classic
NWSL Washington Spirit

Washington Spirit to Take on Rival Gotham FC at Citi Field in Queens Classic

Published on March 17, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


Washington, D.C. - The Washington Spirit and rival Gotham FC will face off at Citi Field in Queens, New York on Wednesday, July 15 for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff in the first women's sporting event at the famous home of Major League Baseball's New York Mets, the clubs announced today. The match will air on ESPN and ESPN Unlimited (ESPN App) in Spanish in a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship this summer to kick off the league's annual Rivalry Weekend.

The Spirit-Gotham rivalry, dubbed "The District vs. The Empire", is one of the most-played fixtures in NWSL history as the sides have faced off 44 times across all competitions. Washington holds a slight advantage in the series with 17 wins, 15 losses and 12 draws including a 9-8-4 record as the away team. The teams have met in the playoffs each of the past two seasons as well, with the Spirit earning a thrilling penalty shootout victory after a stoppage time equalizer in the 2024 semifinal match and Gotham winning last year's final 1-0.

"The District vs. Empire rivalry belongs on a big stage, and Citi Field delivers," said Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone. "This is one of the most electric matchups in the NWSL, and our fans bring an intensity that demands to be seen. Playing in New York City just days before the World Cup championship is a moment we're not taking lightly. The NWSL is women's soccer at its best, and New Yorkers know a big moment when they see one - this is it."

The Queens Classic will be the Spirit's third away match at an historic major league venue in the last year as the team defeated Bay FC at San Francisco's Oracle Park in front of an NWSL-record 40,091 fans last August and will travel to take on expansion side Denver Summit FC at Empower Field at Mile High later this month. The March 28 bout with Denver is expected to break the league attendance record with over 50,000 tickets out already.

"This summer will be transformational for soccer in our region, and we're really excited to put women's sports and our world-class athletes at Gotham FC front and center when a global spotlight is on New York," said Gotham FC Chief Business Officer Ryan Dillon. "It will be a history-making summer of soccer, and this event ensures that we are a part of that."

Tickets to July's Queens Classic will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, March 25 at GothamFC.com/tickets and Mets.com/GothamFC.

The Spirit kicked off the regular season at home on Friday, March 13 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,215, the team's third consecutive sellout at Audi Field and seventh in less than two years. The Spirit will take the pitch at Audi Field next on Wednesday, March 25 when the side hosts Utah Royals FC. Ticketing information is available.

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