RENDERINGS BY DLA+ ARCHITECTURE, COURTESY PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are hoping to climb the ranks of professional soccer -- and they plan to build a stadium to match their rise.
The team on Tuesday announced a planned expansion to Highmark Stadium, their intimate home adjacent to Station Square on the South Side. The ambitious plan, which will involve the construction of larger, permanent seating in the areas behind the goals and the upward expansion of the current bleachers, aims to bring the capacity of the stadium to 15,000.
That number is a requirement for teams competing in the forthcoming Division 1 of the United Soccer League. The league is hoping to launch a top-tier league in 2028; Riverhounds president Jeff Garner says that's the target timeframe for the improved stadium.
"We do have a master plan [targeting a] 2028 completion date over three phases," Garner says; the team has already applied with the USL to be included in the forthcoming division, and expects to get an answer within 6 months. While Garner says that "There's always a chance anything could happen until it's done," he's confident in the Riverhounds' application and the timeline for the stadium improvements.
The new stadium would also add additional premium seating, a club level and suites. Garner says that their goal is to significantly increase capacity and amenities while maintaining the intimacy and vistas that make Highmark Stadium special.
"We, as well as all of our fans, expect to keep the city skyline intact, right? That's part of the charm of Highmark Stadium." The solution, he explains, is to keep the city-facing end of the building open -- and build up. "The design is very vertical. Which I think will be intimidating to other teams coming to town."
The Riverhounds have gained fans and seen attendance increase in recent years. The team has sold out the vast majority of home games since 2023; attendance has risen steadily since 2021. This year, the new Pittsburgh Riveters team also drew significant numbers of fans, including one of the largest soccer crowds in the stadium's history for their inaugural game.
"Soccer, more than anything I've ever been involved in, the crowd dictates the atmosphere. The fans drive the fan experience," Garner says. "The fan experience has to be the No. 1 concern as we move forward."