Where is Subaru Park located?

At 1 Stadium Drive in Chester, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River waterfront — about 25 km south of downtown Philadelphia along I-95.

What is the capacity of Subaru Park?

18,500 seats. The compact, steeply raked bowl keeps fans close to the pitch from every section.

What team plays at Subaru Park?

The Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. The Union won the 2020 Supporters' Shield (best regular-season record) and the 2022 Supporters' Shield.

When did Subaru Park open?

June 27, 2010, with a match against the Seattle Sounders FC. It was originally named PPL Park, then Talen Energy Stadium (2016), before becoming Subaru Park in 2018.

Does Subaru Park have a roof?

Subaru Park is open-air. There is no canopy or cover over the seating areas. Bring sun protection for day matches and rain gear for wet-weather games.

What surface does Subaru Park use?

Natural grass. The riverside location provides good airflow, which helps maintain pitch quality throughout the season.

Subaru Park, Chester - Capacity, History & Complete Visitor Guide

Q: How do I get to Subaru Park by transit?

Take SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line to Chester Transportation Center. A free Union match-day shuttle runs from the station to the stadium, a 5-minute ride. Trains from 30th Street Station take about 25 minutes.

Q: Is there parking at Subaru Park?

Yes. Free parking is available in the stadium lots for most matches. Lot A is closest to the gates. Tailgating is permitted in designated areas starting 3 hours before kickoff.

About Subaru Park

Subaru Park sits on the Delaware River waterfront in Chester, Pennsylvania, about 25 kilometers south of downtown Philadelphia. With 18,500 seats, it’s one of the more compact venues in MLS — and one of the most atmospheric, thanks to a steeply raked bowl that wraps tight around the pitch and a setting that puts the river, the Commodore Barry Bridge, and passing cargo ships in your sightline during matches.

The Philadelphia Union have been the sole tenants since the stadium opened in 2010. Rossetti Associates designed the $120 million venue, which was funded through a combination of club investment and public financing from the City of Chester and Delaware County. The club’s academy and training facility sit adjacent, creating a unified soccer campus on the riverbank.

Subaru Park made headlines as the first MLS stadium to achieve zero-landfill status, diverting 100% of operational waste through recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy programs. The environmental commitment fits the club’s identity — the Union have positioned themselves as a model for sustainable operations in professional sports.

The Sons of Ben supporters’ group occupies the south end — the “River End” — named after Benjamin Franklin and founded in 2007 — before the club or stadium even existed. Their grassroots campaign helped persuade MLS to grant Philadelphia an expansion franchise. That origin story gives Subaru Park a different energy than most MLS venues: this place was willed into existence by fans before a single brick was laid.

Chester’s revitalization hopes have been closely tied to the stadium since groundbreaking. The surrounding waterfront has seen new development, though progress has been slower than initially projected. What hasn’t disappointed is the tailgate culture: the free parking lots fill with grills, cornhole boards, and Union flags hours before kickoff, creating a pre-match atmosphere that rivals anything in MLS. The east stand’s open view of the Delaware River — complete with passing cargo ships and the Commodore Barry Bridge — gives the venue a visual character no other MLS ground can match.

Getting to Subaru Park

Public Transit

SEPTA Regional Rail is the most reliable transit option from Philadelphia. The Wilmington/Newark Line runs frequent service from Center City and connects directly to the stadium shuttle.

→ From Philadelphia (Center City): Take the Wilmington/Newark Line from 30th Street Station or Suburban Station to Chester Transportation Center. About 25 minutes, $5-7.50. A free Union match-day shuttle runs from the station to the stadium.

→ From Wilmington, DE: Same SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line northbound to Chester TC. About 15 minutes.

The free shuttle runs starting 2 hours before kickoff and continues for 45 minutes after the final whistle. Without the shuttle, it’s about a 20-minute walk from Chester TC to the stadium.

Driving + Parking

GPS address: 1 Stadium Dr, Chester, PA 19013.

→ From Philadelphia (25 km): I-95 South to Exit 6 (Morton Avenue / Route 320). Follow signs to the stadium. About 25 minutes without traffic.

→ From Wilmington, DE (25 km): I-95 North to Exit 6 (Morton Avenue). About 25 minutes.

→ From New Jersey (via Commodore Barry Bridge): US-322 West across the bridge. The stadium is immediately visible. About 5 minutes from the bridge toll.

Free parking is available in stadium lots for most matches. Lot A is closest to the gates. Tailgating is permitted in designated areas starting 3 hours before kickoff — it’s a major part of the Union match-day culture.

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft serve the Chester area. Drop-off at 1 Stadium Drive. A ride from Center City Philadelphia costs about $25-40; from Philadelphia International Airport about $15-25. Post-match surge is significant — plan for the free shuttle back to Chester TC instead.

From the Airport

→ Philadelphia International Airport (PHL): 13 km northeast, about 15 minutes by car. Take I-95 South to Exit 6. Uber/Lyft fare about $15-25. PHL is one of the closest major airports to any MLS stadium.

History of Subaru Park

The Philadelphia Union’s story begins with the Sons of Ben — a supporters’ group founded in 2007, named after Benjamin Franklin, that existed for two years before the team they were cheering for had even played a match. Their organized campaign to bring MLS to Philadelphia helped persuade the league to award an expansion franchise in 2008.

Chester won the stadium bid over several competing Philadelphia-area sites, including locations in downtown Philadelphia and the Navy Yard. The city’s waterfront location on the Delaware River offered affordable land, proximity to I-95 (the region’s main highway corridor), and a SEPTA rail connection that could bring fans from Center City in 25 minutes. Rossetti Associates designed the 18,500-seat venue, with a total project cost of $120 million funded through a mix of public bonds and private investment from the club. Groundbreaking came on October 3, 2008.

Key moments in the stadium’s history:

June 27, 2010: Inaugural match — Philadelphia Union 3-0 Seattle Sounders FC.
March 31, 2010: Alex Morgan scores her first USWNT international goal here in a match against Mexico — beginning one of the most storied careers in women’s soccer.
2016: Renamed Talen Energy Stadium (from PPL Park) after a corporate merger.
2018: Renamed Subaru Park — Subaru of America’s US headquarters is in nearby Camden, NJ.
2020: Union win the Supporters’ Shield with the best regular-season record in MLS.
2022: Union win a second Supporters’ Shield and reach the MLS Cup Final, losing to LAFC in a penalty shootout.

The stadium has served as a frequent host for USMNT and USWNT matches, Concacaf Champions League games, and the US Open Cup. In 2024, the venue hosted the CONCACAF W Champions Cup final. The Union’s academy — one of the most productive in MLS, having developed Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, and others — trains on adjacent fields, making the Subaru Park campus a complete player development pipeline from youth to professional level. The academy’s success has become a defining feature of the club’s identity, its financial model, and its reputation across MLS as a development-first organization.