Are the Commanders Going Back to the Redskins? How to Get There in 2026

Quick answer: No — the team is still the Washington Commanders for 2026. Trump has publicly pushed for a Redskins return, and late-July 2026 reports describe "good-faith" talks between the Commanders and NFL about the old logo specifically, but owner Josh Harris has repeatedly said the name itself isn't reverting. If you're going to a game, you're going to Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland — not DC — and getting there depends heavily on where you're starting from.

Are the Commanders Going Back to the Redskins?

Not officially. The name question and the logo question are two different things, and only one of them is actually being discussed right now.

Reports from late July 2026 describe "good-faith discussions" between the Commanders and the NFL about the historic Redskins-era logo — not the franchise's registered name. Harris has drawn this line publicly and consistently: in 2024 he said the old name can't come back, and in 2025, standing next to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to announce the team's new stadium deal, he gave the same answer, adding that the Commanders name has taken on an amazing kind of element inside the organization. The NFL's own reporting has documented Harris stating the name is not changing.

Timeline: Redskins to Washington Football Team to Commanders

Why Did They Change the Name From Redskins to Commanders?

The Redskins name faced decades of criticism from Native American advocacy groups over its offensiveness, with organized opposition dating back to the 1960s. Pressure intensified sharply in the summer of 2020, when major sponsors signaled they'd reconsider their relationships with the team unless the name changed. The organization retired it in July 2020, played two seasons as the Washington Football Team, and landed on "Commanders" in February 2022.

Trump's Push and Where the Pressure Stands Now

In July 2025, Trump publicly called for the team to revert to "Redskins" immediately, at one point tying the request to the team's new DC stadium deal. DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said at the time he'd have "no problem" with it. That pressure hasn't gone away, and the reported 2026 logo discussions suggest the organization is at least engaging with part of the conversation — but a logo nod isn't the same as un-retiring the name, and nothing on record says the name itself is changing. ESPN has tracked Trump's push and the stadium-deal threat as the story developed.

Where Do the Commanders Play?

Northwest Stadium, 1600 Ring Road, Landover, MD 20785 — not in Washington, DC. It sits in Prince George's County, roughly 5–10 miles from downtown DC depending on which source and starting point you're measuring from. The stadium has changed names repeatedly (Jack Kent Cooke Stadium → FedExField → briefly Commanders Field → Northwest Stadium in 2024) without ever changing location.

A new stadium is under construction at the old RFK site in DC — the same project Trump tied his 2025 name-change push to — targeted to open in 2030. Until then, every home game is in Maryland.

Routes to Northwest Stadium by Starting Point

Traffic on the Capital Beltway (I-495) around Arena Drive is the common chokepoint on all these routes, especially in the final 45 minutes before kickoff and immediately after the game.

Northwest Stadium Parking

Buy your pass in advance through the team's official partners. Arriving without one and expecting to pay at the lot is the most common mistake first-time visitors make — there's no cash option to fall back on. If you'd rather skip the gamble, sort out Northwest Stadium parking and game-day transportation before you leave home.

Public Transit: Morgan Boulevard Metro

There's no regular shuttle covering that walk for general fans — it's on foot both directions unless you've arranged Metro Access in advance for accessibility needs.

Rideshare and Where to Actually Get Picked Up

Uber and Lyft serve the stadium through a specific rideshare lot, not the main gates. Enter this address directly into your app rather than the stadium's main address:

Pricing from downtown DC typically runs $30–$55 without surge, and wait times stay manageable outside the final 45 minutes before kickoff — after the game is a different story, with surge pricing and driver scarcity both spiking at once.

Comparing Your Options

The four realistic ways to reach the stadium, side by side.

For groups specifically, splitting a sprinter van or minibus often beats stacking several rideshares, and it skips both the Metro walk and the post-game surge window entirely — everyone arrives and leaves together, gear and coolers included.

Frequently Asked Questions