Jeffrey Lurie discusses new Eagles stadium, doesn’t commit to site remaining in Philadelphia
Evidence emerged last summer that the Philadelphia Eagles were full steam ahead in efforts to break ground on a new stadium that would replace Lincoln Financial Field, with a target date of 2032. On Tuesday at the NFL’s annual owners meetings in Phoenix, owner Jeffrey Lurie spoke to media for the first time since that evidence came to light.
Lurie acknowledged not only that the team is pursuing a new stadium, but also that it has already done exploratory research on the details.
“The lease is up in 2032,” Lurie said. “It’s a long process. When we researched Lincoln Financial Field, it probably took us, I don’t know, two, three years of exploratory research. Now our exploratory research is very much on looking at stadiums around the world and domestically. Is there anything we can learn from Nashville and Buffalo? Is there anything we can learn from the renovations in Madrid and Barcelona? It’s really important, I think.
“We wanna maximize fan amenities and attract the best possible environment for Philadelphia. And to do that, you’ve really got to do the exploratory research. Don’t rush into it. This is a big decision. Where’s the team going to be? So I think it always pays off to take it slow, really understand what’s going on in the world of design, fan amenities, artificial intelligence and design. What kind of facility? So it’s really exploratory.
“I wish I could give you more permanent answers, but we’re gonna take our time. And I would hope in the next year or two, we’ll have some more definitive approach to where we’re going.”
Lurie mentioned renovations to Lincoln Financial Field, but he seemed to clearly favor a new stadium.
“I love our stadium,” he said. “It’s wonderful. Once Washington’s built, it will be the oldest stadium in the division. That doesn’t mean there’s any negative to that. There’s Fenway, there’s Lambeau, whatever, but there’s no question our practice facility and particularly our stadium will be the oldest in the division. We put so much money into the stadium, so it doesn’t appear that way. And it’s still great, and people still love it, but it’s a fact of that exploration I was talking to you about. Do we wanna be in 2045 fifteen years older than every other stadium in our division or whatever? We’d have to see, maybe.”
During a May 2025 focus group that the team held with season ticket holders, a focus group presenter said that a new stadium would allow the city to pursue hosting major sporting events, like the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four, as well as other big non-sporting events. Lurie was asked if the stadium would be a dome, or perhaps have a retractable roof.
“We’re so focused on fan amenities,” Lurie said. “To me, that’s the number one thing, you know, just as a boy growing up you want to have as best a fan experience. The rest is architecture design and where it ends up, but no, it should just be a wonderful fan experience.”
Spoiler: Philly isn’t going to be awarded a Super Bowl at an outdoor-only stadium, and the NCAA isn’t going to be playing Final Four games outside in the cold and wind and rain. Though Lurie sort of sidestepped the question, any new stadium is almost certain to have indoor event capabilities.
Lurie was also asked if any new stadium would remain in Philadelphia.
“Whatever is best for the fans,” Lurie said. “I mean, we don’t really go on a geographical basis. It’s whatever is best for the fans.”
It’s hard to imagine a new football stadium being anywhere other than where the sports complex already resides in South Philly, but certainly the team will need to create leverage and competition in order to negotiate the best possible deal at any prospective site.
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