Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre announced that Nashville SC will open their new Fairgrounds stadium against Philadelphia Union on May 1, 2022 at a press conference Monday morning.
The stadium, initially expected to be completed in May, will be able to open nearly a month ahead of schedule, allowing Nashville to play all 17 of their 2022 home matches in the new venue.
“When it’s full up on May 1 with 30,000 Nashville supporters, that will be the defining moment in the whole of our journey,” said Ayre. “The stadium that your team plays in is the real spiritual home of the club. Nashville has proven with the Predators and the Titans that the stadiums are where you create those memories that you have forever. This is going to be where we do that.”
Ayre also announced that Nashville will kick off their 2022 campaign away to Seattle Sounders on February 27, and will play on the road through March and April before returning to Nashville and the new venue. Nashville are in “very advanced” discussions with several potential sponsors, and Ayre said he expects the naming rights to be announced within the next few months.
At at capacity of 30,000, the stadium is set to be the largest soccer specific stadium in North America, an ambitious project from Ayre and majority owner John Ingram. Nashville have sold 90% of their premium products at the stadium already, with over 18,000 tickets sold to date.
“I think that all bodes for a very big crowd on a very regular basis,” said Ayre. “I remember asking John Ingram when I first started here, ‘most people are building around 20 something. Why 30?’ And he said, ‘I want to build it for where Nashville wants to go, not where we started.’ I think that’s been the case. We’ve seen our audience grow week to week, game to game, and it shouldn’t stop here.”
“With the amount of demand we’re seeing, this place is going to be full, and full week to week.” said Ayre. “I think we’ll see this place full on a very regular basis.”
Gallery: Nashville SC Stadium
MLS 2022 home openers
Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
- Columbus Crew SC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3:30 p.m. ET, Lower.com Field)
- Los Angeles Football Club vs. Colorado Rapids (3:30 p.m. ET, Banc of California Stadium)
- FC Dallas vs. Toronto FC (5:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Stadium)
- Austin FC vs. FC Cincinnati (6 p.m. ET, Q2 Stadium)
- D.C. United vs. Charlotte FC (6 p.m. ET, Audi Field)Â
- San Jose Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls (6 p.m. ET, PayPal Park)
- Inter Miami CF vs. Chicago Fire FC (6 p.m. ET, DRV PNK Stadium)Â
- Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET, Providence Park)
- Philadelphia Union vs. Minnesota United FC (TBD, Subaru Park)
Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022
- Orlando City SC vs. CF Montréal (1 p.m. ET, Exploria Stadium)
- Atlanta United FC vs. Sporting Kansas City (3 p.m. ET, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
- LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC (5 p.m. ET, Dignity Health Sports Park)
- Houston Dynamo FC vs. Real Salt Lake (7 p.m. ET, PNC Stadium)
- Seattle Sounders FC vs. Nashville SC (TBD, Lumen Field)
Saturday, March 5, 2022
- New England Revolution vs. FC Dallas (1:30 p.m. ET, Gillette Stadium)
- Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls (2 p.m. ET, BMO Field)
- Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo FC (3:30 p.m. ET, Children’s Mercy Park)
- CF Montréal vs. Philadelphia Union (4 p.m. ET, Olympic Stadium)
- Chicago Fire FC vs. Orlando City SC (6 p.m. ET, Soldier Field)
- Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United FC (6 p.m. ET, DICK’S Sporting Goods Park)
- Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC (6 p.m. ET, Rio Tinto Stadium)
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. New York City FC (6 p.m. ET, BC Place)
- Minnesota United FC vs. Nashville SC (6 p.m. ET, Allianz Field)
- FC Cincinnati vs. D.C. United (6 p.m. ET, TQL Stadium)
- Charlotte FC vs. LA Galaxy (8 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium)
Saturday, March 12, 2022
- New York City FC vs. CF Montréal (2 p.m. ET, Yankee Stadium)
Sunday, March 13, 2022
- New York Red Bulls vs. Minnesota United FC (2 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena)
Sunday, May 1, 2022
- Nashville SC vs. Philadelphia Union (4 p.m. ET, Nashville SC Stadium)
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