Capital One Arena
Washington, DC · Home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals
Upcoming games
Schedule data syncs from our events feed. Ticket links go to SeatGeek.
No upcoming games currently listed for Capital One Arena.
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Parking
Reserve a spot in advance — game-day parking near Capital One Arena fills early.
Getting there
Capital One Arena sits in DC's Chinatown / Penn Quarter neighborhood directly above the Gallery Place–Chinatown Metro station, making it one of the most transit-accessible arenas in North America. The Metro Red, Green, and Yellow Lines all stop at Gallery Place beneath the building, with multiple station exits opening directly onto F Street and H Street NW. The Verizon Center / Capital One Arena entrance is steps from the station mezzanine. Driving into downtown DC on a game night is generally not recommended — surface streets clog around 7th Street and the building's garage capacity is limited; reserving in advance via the parking link above typically beats game-night pricing. Rideshare drop-off zones rotate by event and are signed by the building. Confirm bag and entry rules on the arena's official site before going.
The neighborhood
Penn Quarter / Chinatown frames the arena on all sides — a dense downtown grid of restaurants, bars, theaters, and museums. The Friendship Archway (the Chinatown gate over H Street at 7th) sits one block north and marks the neighborhood's commercial spine. The National Portrait Gallery / Smithsonian American Art Museum is one block north of the arena and the National Mall museums are a 10-minute walk south. F Street and 7th Street between the arena and the museums host the densest concentration of pre-game restaurants. The 14th Street corridor — DC's most concentrated dinner-and-drinks neighborhood over the past decade — is a 15-minute walk or short ride north. Barracks Row on 8th Street SE is a short Metro ride south on the Green Line if you want a quieter pre-game dinner option.
Where to eat & drink nearby
Walkable pre-game stops include Clyde's of Gallery Place (a longtime DC sports-bar standby directly across from the arena), Fado Irish Pub (an Irish pub on 7th Street that fills with Caps and Wizards fans pre-game), and Rosa Mexicano (Mexican sit-down a block from the arena on E Street). Jaleo is José Andrés' canonical Spanish tapas restaurant a short walk south on 7th Street. Old Ebbitt Grill is the historic DC oyster-and-burger institution a 10-minute walk west — open since 1856 and the city's oldest restaurant. RPM Italian on K Street is a higher-end Italian sit-down for a longer pre-game dinner. For a 14th Street corridor detour, Le Diplomate is the canonical DC French brasserie a 15-minute walk or short ride north. Pre-game crowds at Penn Quarter bars build quickly within an hour of tipoff or puck drop.
First-timer tips
Use Metro — Gallery Place–Chinatown station sits directly under the arena and the F Street and H Street exits open right at the door. The building hosts three primary tenants in different seasons (Wizards NBA, Capitals NHL, Georgetown men's basketball), and the floor converts between hardwood and ice as needed, sometimes on back-to-back nights. Capital One Arena underwent a major renovation completed in phases through 2024–2026 with new concourses, premium clubs, and seating-bowl improvements — check the arena site for the current configuration. Mobile-only tickets are the norm. The arena publishes current bag policy on its official site and the rules change — check before traveling.
Best games to catch
For the Wizards, marquee dates are 76ers, Celtics, Knicks, and visits from the league's biggest stars (Lakers/LeBron, Warriors/Curry when they come through) — these consistently price above season average. For the Capitals, division-rival visits from the Penguins, Rangers, Flyers, Devils, and Islanders are the heritage draws, with Original Six visits from the Bruins, Blackhawks, and Red Wings also drawing strong crowds. For Georgetown men's basketball, the Big East rivalry games against Villanova, St. John's, and Connecticut — plus any matchup with Syracuse on the rare cross-conference dates — anchor the strongest home dates. Each tenant publishes its promotional calendar on the team site and rivalry weekends and themed nights vary year to year.
What to know
Capital One Arena opened in December 1997 as the MCI Center, was renamed Verizon Center in 2006 and Capital One Arena in 2017 under naming-rights deals with Verizon and Capital One respectively. The building anchored the redevelopment of DC's Chinatown / Penn Quarter neighborhood — what was a struggling downtown district in the mid-1990s became one of the city's most active commercial cores within a decade of the arena's opening, an urban-impact story frequently cited alongside Cleveland's Gateway and Indianapolis's Conseco/Gainbridge developments. The arena is operated by Monumental Sports & Entertainment (which also owns the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics). The building hosted the Capitals' 2018 Stanley Cup home games during the franchise's first championship run. A major multi-year renovation announced in 2023 is rebuilding concourses, premium clubs, and seating-bowl elements through the mid-2020s, with the building remaining open for tenants throughout. Georgetown men's basketball has played selected home games at the arena since the building opened.
Frequently asked questions
What time do doors open at Capital One Arena?
Doors typically open about 90 minutes before tipoff or puck drop for standard games, sometimes earlier for marquee events. Check the arena's official event page for the specific game's door time.
How do I get to Capital One Arena on Metro?
The Gallery Place–Chinatown station sits directly beneath the arena and is served by the Red, Green, and Yellow Lines. The F Street and H Street station exits open within steps of the arena's main entrances.
Where can I park near Capital One Arena?
Downtown DC garages around 7th Street and Penn Quarter serve the arena but space is limited and rates run high on event nights. Reserving in advance via the parking link above typically beats game-night pricing. Many fans skip driving entirely given Metro access.
Is Capital One Arena the same as Verizon Center?
Yes — the arena opened as MCI Center in 1997, was renamed Verizon Center in 2006, and became Capital One Arena in 2017. It is the same Penn Quarter / Chinatown building; only the naming-rights partner has changed.
Do the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown all play here?
Yes — the Wizards (NBA), Capitals (NHL), and Georgetown men's basketball all play home games at Capital One Arena. The floor converts between hardwood and ice between games, sometimes on back-to-back nights.
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