Ruoff Mortgage Stadium

Ruoff Mortgage Stadium
Interactive map of Ruoff Mortgage Stadium
Full name
Fort Wayne FC Park
Address6411 Bass Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46818
Coordinates41°05′19″N 85°13′29″W / 41.088717°N 85.224853°W / 41.088717; -85.224853
OwnerFort Wayne FC
Capacity9,200
TypeSoccer-specific stadium
SurfaceAstroTurf LigaTurf[1]
Acreage32 acres
Current use
Soccer
Construction
GroundbreakingApril 16, 2025
OpenedMay 2, 2026 (May 2, 2026)
ArchitectDesign Collaborative
Main contractor
BND Commercial
Tenant
Fort Wayne FC (USL1) (2026–present)
Website
ruoffstadium.com

Ruoff Mortgage Stadium is a 9,200-seat soccer-specific stadium in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Located immediately west of Interstate 69, it is the home to Fort Wayne FC of USL League One. Opened in 2026, it is currently the largest soccer-specific stadium in Indiana.

History

Background

A soccer-specific stadium in the city of Fort Wayne was first proposed in May 2020, with a group called Fort Wayne Next, spearheaded by Fort Wayne native DaMarcus Beasley, announcing plans for a new 5,000-7,500 seat soccer-specific stadium north of Downtown Fort Wayne, where he hoped a United Soccer League team would begin play at by 2022.[2] A mixed-use development was planned to coincide with the stadium, which was estimated to cost around $150 million in total.[3] By 2023, the proposal expanded its proposal to a $1.5 billion development with more amenities,[4] and by 2025 the cost had escalated to $3 billion.[5] By mid-March 2025, the previously soccer-specific stadium had been shifted to American football to try and court local Fort Wayne high schools,[6] essentially dropping Fort Wayne FC from consideration.

The land for a potential new development was purchased in 2021 for $2 million.[7] Plans for a new soccer stadium in west Fort Wayne were first construed in early March 2024, when the Allen County Plan Commission received a petition from real estate company BND Commercial that requested that an empty parcel of land in Western Fort Wayne be rezoned from a technology park to a general commercial space.[8] The development was approved in mid-April of the same year, with the planned development envisioning the facility first opening with a 1,500-2,500 seat multi-sport stadium that would be able to expand if the demand demanded it.[9] The stadium plan, which was made separate from the proposed downtown Fort Wayne Next soccer stadium,[10] was proposed to encompass a parcel of land made up of 32 acres (13 ha).[11]

On April 2, 2026, Fort Wayne FC announced a multiyear naming rights partnership with Ruoff Mortgage, establishing Ruoff Mortgage Stadium as the official name.[12]

Construction

On November 4, 2024, the plans for a new 7,000-seat soccer-specific stadium were made official, with Fort Wayne FC majority owner Mark Music funding development of a brand new soccer specific stadium in Fort Wayne.[13] Fully privately funded,[14] the stadium plans were announced with the expectations that Fort Wayne FC, which previously competed in the pre-professional soccer league USL League Two, would make the jump into professional soccer,[15][16] which was later confirmed when the announcement in late February 2025 came out that the club would be joining the third division of professional American soccer in the USL League One.[17]

Ground was broken at the stadium site on April 16, 2025.[18] Construction on the stadium was not complete in time for the 2026 Fort Wayne FC season, which caused Fort Wayne FC to play all their matches in March and April on the road.[19] The first event in the stadium's history was a Fort Wayne FC draw against the Charlotte Independence,[20] where the stadium opened at a limited capacity of 4,000 and with large swaths of the stadium still uncompleted.[21]

With full seating in place and some final construction remaining, the club held the stadium's grand opening on July 4, 2026; it defeated Spokane Velocity FC 3–0.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Fort Wayne FC Chooses AstroTurf® LigaTurf for Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, Elevating a New Era of Soccer in Northeast Indiana". AstroTurf Corporation. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Beasley hopes buzz will generate investor interest, community support in North River soccer stadium". Wane.com. May 17, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Plans for hotel, restaurant possible in North River soccer stadium complex". Wane.com. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Massive $1.5 billion proposal for FW north riverfront with arena, stadium and more". WANE 15. October 23, 2023. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  5. ↑ Grimm, Kortney (March 18, 2025). "Fort Wayne Next launches campaign for $3B development plan". WANE 15. Archived from the original on April 8, 2025. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  6. ↑ Dahlen, Ethan; Reuille, Lydia (March 24, 2025). "Fort Wayne Next claims downtown football stadium would save Snider $5M; FWCS turns down plan". WANE 15. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Design: Fort Wayne FC Park – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  8. ↑ Brock, Corryn (March 6, 2024). "Rezoning petition filed for potential new soccer complex near Buckner Park". 21alivenews.com. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  9. ↑ Williams, Taylor (April 18, 2024). "Plans for new soccer complex on Bass Road move forward as interest increases". www.21alivenews.com. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  10. ↑ Cohn, Justin A. (May 29, 2024). "Fort Wayne FC looks toward future, maybe in pros, by building its brand". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  11. ↑ Patterson, Josh (March 7, 2024). "7,500-seat soccer complex planned for Allen County's west side". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Fort Wayne Football Club, Ruoff Mortgage Announce Multiyear Naming Rights Partnership; Venue to Be Known as Ruoff Mortgage Stadium". Fort Wayne Football Club. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Soccer stadium coming to Allen County in 2026". WANE 15. November 4, 2024. Archived from the original on November 9, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  14. ↑ Patterson, Josh (November 4, 2024). "Fort Wayne FC to open new stadium in 2026, with elevation to pro ranks expected soon". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Nov. 4 - Local entrepreneur announces new soccer stadium for Fort Wayne FC in 2026". Fort Wayne Business Weekly. November 4, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  16. ↑ Darling, Kurt (November 5, 2024). "Fort Wayne Entrepreneur To Build Soccer Specific Stadium For Fort Wayne FC". WIBC 93.1 FM. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  17. ↑ McKibben, Allie (February 24, 2025). "Leveling up: Fort Wayne FC brings professional soccer to Northeast Indiana". Wane 15. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  18. ↑ McMahan, Clayton (April 17, 2025). "Construction begins for new Fort Wayne FC stadium". WANE 15. Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  19. ↑ Patterson, Josh (December 11, 2025). "FWFC announces first home match; League One club to open new stadium May 2". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  20. ↑ Powell, Tom (January 27, 2026). "Fort Wayne FC stadium construction on track for May opener". 21alivenews.com. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  21. ↑ Tilmans, David (May 3, 2026). "Fort Wayne FC opens Ruoff Mortgage Stadium". FOX 55 Fort Wayne. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Ruoff Mortgage Stadium hosts ribbon-cutting, Fort Wayne Football Club announces mascot". WANE 15. July 4, 2026. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
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