Starting this season, the Jacksonville Armada will play their home games at Hodges Stadium, the team confirmed on Monday.

UNF’s Athletic Director Lee Moon spoke on the new partnership.

“We are excited to have the Jacksonville Armada on campus using Hodges Stadium as their home venue for 2017,” said Moon. “The Armada soccer team’s presence should only help to enhance the interest for soccer in the UNF community and build even more excitement around both our men’s and women’s soccer programs this Fall.”

The Armada will rent the stadium for one year. This decision came after playing two seasons at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, according to jacksonville.com.

The city of Jacksonville allocated $700,000 to cover the expenses to convert the field from a baseball to a soccer, but the cost exceeded the designated amount leaving the Armada to pick up the difference.

The team is supposed to play 16 home games this upcoming season. In 2014, UNF and the Armada spoke about potentially playing at the Hodges Stadium, but they ultimately ended up playing at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville for two seasons.

Hodges Stadium has also hosted other professional teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, the U.S. men’s soccer team in 2014 and 2016, as well as the 2016 NCAA Track and Field Division I regionals.

You can catch the Armada against the Ospreys March 8 during a scheduled exhibition game at the Hodges Stadium.

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