Centerville Bank Stadium - Rhode Island FC
- David Welch
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Centerville Bank Stadium 11 Tidewater Street Pawtucket, RI 02860
Year Opened: 2025
Capacity: 10,500
Wicked Good Soccer
In December 2019, the United Soccer League announced its top division, USL Championship, would be coming to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, giving birth to Rhode Island FC (RIFC). Construction delays pushed back the opening of RIFC’s new home, leaving the club to play its inaugural season at Beirne Stadium on the campus of Bryant University.
For a city that had just lost its beloved AAA baseball team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, who relocated to Worcester after 50 seasons, a new professional club would not fully replace the PawSox, but it gave Pawtucket a new team to rally around.
Food & Beverage 5
Centerville Bank Stadium delivers, providing quality food options that really highlight local foods, while still giving fans classic stadium favorites. Concessions here use a mixture of traditional stands, food carts, and the grab-and-go markets which have been growing in popularity in recent years.
Gansett Grill serves smash burgers, boneless wings, and a Rhode Island-style hot dog with meat sauce, onions, and mustard, followed by Taft Street Tacos offering beef, chicken, and Groucho tacos. In addition, Rhode Island Roost is known for fried chicken sandwiches and wings, while Veggie Nook caters to vegan and gluten-free fans with hummus bowls and red quinoa. A Chick-fil-A trailer also operates along the riverfront.
The food stations around the concourse are also definitely a highlight; first up is Chip’s Catch Seafood, dishing out lobster rolls and New England clam chowder (in cups or bread bowls), along with Maven’s Delicatessen, a Pawtucket staple, bringing hefty portions of pastrami, corned beef, and five variations of its Reuben sandwich. The grab-and-go markets stock candy, chips, sports drinks, Pepsi products, beer, seltzers, and cocktails.
Adult beverage options are plentiful. Macrobrews are available, but local brews really shine, headlined by Narragansett, as well as Pawtucket’s own Guild Brewing Company, featuring five RIFC-branded brews. Seasonal offerings include “Opening Day Ale” and “Pride Ale” alongside staples like Slater Lager, Striker Light Lager, and a strawberry rhubarb hard seltzer. The beer list rounds out with Newport Craft’s New England IPA, Mighty Squirrel’s Cloud Candy, Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine, Lord Hobo’s Boom Sauce, and Portuguese favorite Super Bock.
Not a beer drinker? No problem – wines from Dark Horse, High Noon, White Claw, Angry Orchard, and Sun Cruiser vodka lemonade are available too. The alcohol menu here is diverse and deep, offering something for everyone.
Atmosphere 4
Set along the banks of the Seekonk River, Centerville Bank Stadium is at the base of the neighboring hillside. The stadium’s main seating bowl wraps around three sides of the pitch, while a second tier runs along the near side. The far side remains open, providing great views of the river – especially from the upper deck.
All seats are individual chairbacks, with private suites tucked beneath the upper deck. The supporters’ section features safe-standing seats with backrests, with pitch-side seating running along both sidelines, including VIP field suites.
There are two video boards; the main one at midfield shows live action with stat overlays, while a smaller board in the northwest corner supports the experience. Ribbon boards in the eastern corners show time and score, and an additional board at the north end displays in-game stats.
Goals are celebrated with the Talking Heads’ song Psycho Killer, while the supporters set off blue and yellow smoke bombs along with blasts from an impressive train horn. Halftime features contests like crossbar challenges and penalty spot skill games, alongside shuffle ball and fan cam antics.
The excitement of the supporters group goes a long way in creating a fun stadium experience, whether you are sitting in the section along with them or just enjoying the soccer environment they create to accompany the match.
Neighborhood 3
Centerville Bank Stadium is the centerpiece of the Tidewater Landing development, located just outside downtown Pawtucket on the Seekonk River. The area is in a transitional phase, slowly rebounding from the decline of a once-thriving textile industry.
Historic Slater Mill, recognized as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, offers tours and scenic riverfront walks. In addition, The Modern Diner, operating out of a 1940s Sterling Streamliner, is a local icon known for custard French toast and corned beef hash. The Guild, a popular craft brewery housed in a renovated industrial building, also serves as a natural pregame gathering spot.
Currently the area lacks the surroundings needed to keep fans around before and after the match. However, there are plans for housing, retail, and public spaces, to be built in the coming years to help create a full match day experience, right at Centerville Bank Stadium.
Fans 4
A club’s fan support is only as good as its supporters’ group – RIFC’s group, Defiance 1636, does a great job setting the air of a passionate, festive environment. Shortly before kickoff the group enters the stadium with instruments blazing, as they march though the concourse to the far section of field level seating. As the match is about to touch off, their frenzy ticks up a notch as they unfurl a tifo and set off smoke bombs. Their revelry goes a long way in setting the atmosphere of matches here.
Their passion carries through the full 90 minutes and spills into the rest of the stadium. Even those not officially part of the group match Defiance 1636’s energy with loud, loyal support for the team.
Access 3
Pawtucket is conveniently located just off I‑95, and in close proximity to Centerville Bank Stadium. On-site parking is available but expensive, typically ranging from $20 to $30. There is free parking near the old McCoy Stadium site.
To help with flow, the city runs a free shuttle (R‑1636) from the Pawtucket/Central Falls Transit Center, with stops at designated lots around town, as well as a drop-off near the stadium at Ivan Perez Memorial Park. However, the free lot near McCoy lacks shuttle service, requiring a 15 to 20-minute walk to get to the match.
Centerville Bank Stadium itself is easily navigable; all fans enter on the northwest side of the facility into a wide concourse. Most of the seating is accessible from the top of the seating bowl, with the exception of the field level seating and suites.
Return on Investment 3
Tickets start at $24, which is reasonable on its own, but unless you choose to walk over a mile to the venue using the free parking lot, the cost can quickly approach $50 for one person after adding $20 to $30 for parking, which does seem a bit steep.
In addition, the quality level of food here does come with a bit of increase in concession prices compared to other sports venues.
Extras 4
Mascot Chip welcomes fans at the gates and is always available for photos.
A banner at the Centerville Bank Stadium’s south end honors RIFC’s 2024 USL Eastern Conference title.
The riverwalk outside the stadium helps to expand the concourse, as well as giving fans entertainment and learning opportunities provided by local businesses and non-profit organizations.
Following the match, fans are invited down to field level to interact with players, take photos, and get autographs. Soccer is very deliberate with its connection between players and the community that supports them.
Final Thoughts
Centerville Bank Stadium is as beautiful a stadium as there is in the USL, between its specificity to host soccer matches and the backdrop of the river behind it. The introduction of Rhode Island FC to Pawtucket helps fill the void that was left when the Red Sox left for Worcester, and early returns show that sports coming back to town has been a success. As the area around the venue takes shape, it will only help support an already fantastic soccer experience.
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