U.S. Soccer has announced plans to build a national training facility in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with funding of $50 million provided by Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank. The federation is currently searching for the exact location, with construction set to begin next year and a site selected in January 2024.
The facility will serve as the new headquarters for U.S. Soccer, which is currently based in Chicago. It will include training fields, facilities for coaching and referee education, as well as recovery and performance analysis infrastructure. In addition, the facility will host youth tournaments and soccer conferences.
Arthur Blank expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “Atlanta’s incredible passion for soccer, corporate community, and unmatched infrastructure make this a natural home for the national training center.” The donation from Blank will also support community outreach and soccer development among underserved communities.
U.S. Soccer had considered Atlanta and Cary, North Carolina as potential locations for the training facility. The organization aims to raise a total of $300 million for the project, which will feature 14 or more training fields.
The facility’s usage by the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams is still to be determined. While many European countries use their training facilities as hubs for senior teams during international windows, logistical challenges may arise due to the vast size of the United States. The U.S. men’s team usually holds its January training camp in Los Angeles, making it difficult to move it to Atlanta in the winter.
Despite this, players from both the men’s and women’s national teams have expressed support for the development. USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara believes the facility will help all national teams become more cohesive, while USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie sees it as an opportunity to create a home base and work towards their best performance.
The relocation of all U.S. Soccer employees from Chicago to Atlanta has yet to be determined. The federation had previously required employees to live in Chicago but may not enforce this rule universally. U.S. Soccer currently has around 250 employees based in Chicago, including most of the coaches.
The timing of the move to a new facility is significant as the U.S. Soccer will co-host the 2026 World Cup. Whether the federation will tackle the move to a new city while simultaneously organizing the tournament remains uncertain.
In addition to the Atlanta facility, U.S. Soccer has other locations in Los Angeles and Kansas City that it shares with other teams. The new facility in Atlanta will serve as a dedicated home for the federation.
The facility is expected to benefit all 27 national teams, with a particular focus on extended national teams and youth national teams by providing a centralized location for camps. Arthur Blank’s donation will support the construction of facilities for teams such as the cerebral palsy, deaf, and power soccer national teams. It will also contribute to women’s youth national team camps and coaching and mentorship initiatives.
The facility will also provide community programming for soccer-focused non-profits in the Atlanta area, including initiatives aimed at underserved communities. It will also feature a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging innovation lab, serving as an incubator and funder for impactful projects in these areas.
U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone expressed her excitement about the project, stating that the facility will accelerate the growth of soccer in the country and reflect their commitment to developing elite soccer players.
With this national training facility, U.S. Soccer aims to provide the best resources for American athletes, allowing them to compete on a global level like never before. The facility is set to benefit numerous generations of players and contribute to the continued growth of soccer in the United States.