by JAKE NUTTING

Should the New York Cosmos advance past expansion side Rayo OKC in Saturday’s postseason semifinal at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium, they will be taking The Championship Final into the five boroughs.

But the venue is a far cry from the bright lights of New York City.

The club confirmed through a press release Tuesday that it has secured Belson Stadium at St John’s University in Queens as its site for the potential final. New York would host either the second-seeded Indy Eleven or third-seeded FC Edmonton on Sunday, November 13 at 7 p.m. ET.

There was speculation that the Cosmos considered ceding hosting rights for the final due to scheduling difficulties at Shuart Stadium and MCU Park in Brooklyn, but Cosmos Coo Erik Stover recently shot down those rumors.

“It’s important for us to play in New York,” said Cosmos Head Coach Giovanni Savarese. “That way the fans can be part of The Championship experience, and our players are rewarded for all their hard work by having the opportunity to play in front of family and friends.”

Belson Stadium has been used by the Cosmos for U.S. Open Cup matches in the past, including two of their three matches in this year’s edition of the competition. They knocked off amateur side Jersey Express SC 2-0 in the third round before ultimately being ousted by the New England Revolution in the Round of 16 in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss.

With a capacity of just over 2,000, Belson Stadium would be the smallest venue to ever host the NASL final. In comparison, Indy Eleven’s Michael Carroll Stadium seats 12,000 while Edmonton’s Clarke Stadium can hold 5,000. According to the St. John’s website, Belson Stadium can expand to 5,000 seats. However, it unclear whether that applies to soccer events.

Postseason ticket packages for this weekend’s semifinal and the potential final at Belson will go on sale starting Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.