It’s Official: Riverhounds announce major expansion coming to current Highmark Stadium

It’s official.  The home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds is getting a huge expansion.

Riverhounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger announced Tuesday afternoon, that the current Highmark Stadium will be upgraded, allowing for a capacity of 15,000 fans.

“This expansion is going be great for our fans and allow us to take our teams to the level we want to reach, but it’s also going to bring additional events here that will help the entire Pittsburgh community.” Shallenberger said.

The current capacity is 5,000.

The expansion will meet the U.S. Soccer’s Pro League Standards for Division One sanctioning.

With the expansion, the Riverhounds are aiming to push to move up into USL’s planned top tier league.

“The United Soccer League (USL) recently announced its plans to launch a Division One professional men’s league — the top tier of the sport in the United States — with a 2028 launch date,” according to the club’s official release.

“USL is currently in the process of reviewing applications from clubs interested in its Division One league.”

Officials said the project would likely cost between $125 and $130 million in combined public and private funds. Shallenberger said Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro had already promised some $3 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) funding, though further details on cost and timing remained vague.

Riverhounds President Jeff Garner said the team hoped to complete the project by 2028 to coincide with USL’s planned first-division expansion (the Riverhounds currently play in the USL Championship, a second-division league).

Announcement Press Conference Updates:

PSN’s Colton Coreschi is on hand at Highmark to provide updates. You can also watch the Press Conference on live stream (see below).

On site for the Riverhounds big announcement this afternoon. Quite the serious set-up here, lots of suits. Told we'll have six speakers total, including Tuffy Shallenberger with a speech. Feeling more and more serious.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T17:45:42.029Z

CONFIRMATION THAT THE HOUNDS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR D1 APPLICATION TO USL.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:09:21.463Z

The players come out and reveal the renderings. Gotta say, that looks gorgeous. State Senator Wayne Fontana now steps up to speak. Thanks Tuffy, supporting union leaders.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:12:31.982Z

The players come out and reveal the renderings. Gotta say, that looks gorgeous. State Senator Wayne Fontana now steps up to speak. Thanks Tuffy, supporting union leaders.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:12:31.982Z

Captain Robbie Mertz steps up now.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:19:23.563Z

Budget is between $125-150M. Public-private partnership. Some funding secured from Governor Shapiro already, more to come.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:31:02.970Z

Timeline not firm, says Garner, but expectation is to target 2028 depending on permits, etc.

— CJ Coreschi (@cjcoreschi.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T18:28:36.493Z

2:02 p.m. — PRESS RELEASE AND RENDERINGS OF HIGHMARK STADIUM EXPANSION