
Upcoming games
Schedule data syncs from our events feed. Ticket links go to SeatGeek.
- Get ticketsSeattle Reign FC at North Carolina CourageSat, Jul 4, 2026 · 6:30 PM EDT
- Get ticketsWashington Spirit at North Carolina CourageSat, Jul 11, 2026 · 6:30 PM EDT
- Get ticketsUtah Royals at North Carolina CourageSat, Jul 25, 2026 · 7:45 PM EDT
- Get ticketsOrlando Pride at North Carolina CourageSat, Aug 1, 2026 · 8:00 PM EDT
- Get ticketsHouston Dash at North Carolina CourageSun, Aug 16, 2026 · 7:00 PM EDT
- Get ticketsBoston Legacy FC at North Carolina CourageSat, Aug 22, 2026 · 7:30 PM EDT
- Get ticketsAngel City FC at North Carolina CourageThu, Aug 27, 2026 · 8:00 PM EDT
- Get ticketsGotham FC at North Carolina CourageSat, Sep 19, 2026 · 6:30 PM EDT
- Get ticketsSan Diego Wave FC at North Carolina CourageSat, Oct 17, 2026 · 7:00 PM EDT
- Get ticketsDenver Summit FC at North Carolina CourageSun, Nov 1, 2026 · 5:00 PM EST
Plan your trip
Curated booking starting points for a Cary trip. Some links are affiliate links — purchases may earn GameAway a commission at no extra cost to you.
Parking
Reserve a spot in advance — game-day parking near WakeMed Soccer Park fills early.
Getting there
WakeMed Soccer Park sits at 201 Soccer Park Drive in Cary, NC, a suburb on the western side of the Raleigh-Durham Triangle — the complex is roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Raleigh and 25 minutes from downtown Durham outside of rush hour. The park is a Town of Cary-operated 150-acre multi-field complex rather than an urban transit-served stadium, so driving and rideshare are the dominant access modes. On-site surface parking serves the venue and is the standard match-day option; reserving in advance via the parking link above can help on the largest event days. GoCary and GoTriangle bus service reach Cary but do not serve the soccer park directly — most visitors arrive by car. Rideshare drop-off zones are signed at the main entrance. Confirm bag and entry rules on the North Carolina Courage official site before going.
The neighborhood
Cary is one of the Triangle's largest suburbs — a leafy, affluent residential-and-tech-corridor town rather than a traditional urban arena district. The blocks immediately around the soccer park are office, residential, and parkland; the densest walkable food and drink cluster sits a short drive north in downtown Cary, where Academy Street and the surrounding blocks have built up a small but legitimate restaurant-and-brewery scene over the last decade. Downtown Raleigh — the Glenwood South nightlife strip, the Warehouse District, and the State Capitol blocks — is a short drive east for a longer pre-match or post-match itinerary. Downtown Durham (American Tobacco Campus, the Bull City restaurant scene) is a 25-minute drive northwest. The Carolina Hurricanes' Lenovo Center, the Carolina Mudcats, and the NC State campus add adjacent sports-travel options across the Triangle.
Where to eat & drink nearby
Downtown Cary is the closest walkable food cluster — Pizzeria Faulisi (the destination wood-fired Neapolitan pizza spot in downtown Cary) and Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen (the long-running modern-Southern sit-down standby in Cary) anchor the area. Bond Brothers Beer Company is the canonical downtown Cary craft brewery and a pre-match staple. Pharmacy Bottle & Beverage is a downtown Cary bottle shop and bar worth a stop. For a Raleigh detour, Crawford and Son in Mordecai is a destination modern-Southern sit-down, Brewery Bhavana in downtown Raleigh pairs dim sum with a brewery and bookstore, and Sam Jones BBQ is the canonical eastern-NC whole-hog barbecue stop. Hours and gameday crowds shift; confirm before you go.
First-timer tips
Plan to arrive at least 45–60 minutes before kickoff — WakeMed Soccer Park is a suburban complex and traffic on Cary Parkway and the surrounding feeders backs up around large-event start times. The main stadium (now branded First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park under a naming-rights deal) is the soccer-specific venue inside the broader 150-acre park; the complex also includes additional fields used for youth, college, and NCAA-tournament play. The Courage's supporters' section anchors one end of the main stadium and is the loudest area in the bowl. The park is Town of Cary-operated, which means a smaller, more park-like match-day footprint than a major-market pro venue — pack accordingly. The Courage publish current bag and entry policy on the club's official site — check before traveling.
Best games to catch
For the North Carolina Courage (NWSL), visits from the Portland Thorns, the Washington Spirit, Gotham FC, and the Kansas City Current anchor the strongest home weekends — the Courage's long playoff pedigree across the league's history makes most home dates feel competitive. NWSL Playoff home matches when the Courage host price as the hardest tickets of the season. The complex also hosts NCAA men's and women's College Cup matches in years when the soccer-specific stadium is selected as the host site, plus US Open Cup early-round dates and North Carolina FC matches historically. The Courage publish their themed match calendar — heritage nights, jersey reveals — on the official site; check before locking in dates.
What to know
WakeMed Soccer Park opened in 2002 as a Town of Cary-operated, soccer-specific complex on a 150-acre site in suburban Cary, NC, and has anchored Triangle-area pro and college soccer since. The main stadium seats roughly 10,000 in a purpose-built soccer bowl and was renamed First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park under a 2022 naming-rights deal with First Horizon Bank — the broader park retains the WakeMed name and most fans still refer to the venue by the WakeMed Soccer Park label. The park has hosted the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL since the franchise's 2017 relocation to Cary (the club won back-to-back NWSL Shields and the 2018 and 2019 NWSL Championships), plus North Carolina FC of the USL Championship historically and a rotating slate of NCAA tournaments and youth events. The Town of Cary's ownership keeps the venue accessible for community and youth use throughout the year, distinguishing it from privately owned MLS-tier facilities. The complex's setup — main stadium plus additional fields — also makes it a regular tournament host for the NCAA and U.S. Soccer at various levels.
Frequently asked questions
What time do gates open at WakeMed Soccer Park?
Gates typically open about an hour before kickoff for standard North Carolina Courage matches, sometimes earlier for premium-ticket holders or marquee dates. Check the Courage's official matchday guide for the specific game's gate time.
How do I get to WakeMed Soccer Park?
The complex sits at 201 Soccer Park Drive in Cary, NC, roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Raleigh and 25 minutes from downtown Durham outside of rush hour. Driving and rideshare are the dominant access modes — public transit does not serve the park directly.
Where can I park at WakeMed Soccer Park?
On-site surface parking serves the venue and is the standard match-day option. Reserving in advance via the parking link above can help on the largest event days. Rates and lot availability change season to season — confirm before driving.
Is WakeMed Soccer Park the same as First Horizon Stadium?
First Horizon Stadium is the main soccer-specific stadium inside the broader WakeMed Soccer Park complex — the stadium was renamed under a 2022 First Horizon Bank naming-rights deal. The 150-acre park around it retains the WakeMed name and most fans still refer to the venue as WakeMed Soccer Park.
Do the North Carolina Courage play at WakeMed Soccer Park?
Yes — the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL have been the primary tenant since the franchise's 2017 relocation to Cary. The club has won the NWSL Shield multiple times and the NWSL Championship in 2018 and 2019.
Build your sports road trip
Combine multiple venues into a multi-stop itinerary with GameAway.