{"670332":{"#nid":"670332","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Atlanta Primed to Become U.S. Soccer Capital Ahead of 2026 World Cup ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) plans to build its first-ever national training center in Atlanta, placing the city at the center of its efforts to advance the sport across the country.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EThe announcement comes at a crucial juncture for the USSF as North America prepares to host several global events in the coming years, highlighted by the 2026 World Cup, with Atlanta among the selected host cities. While the exact location of the training center has yet to be determined, its eventual construction in the metro area has the potential to cement Atlanta\u0027s status as a driving force in American soccer, according to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/kirk-bowman\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKirk Bowman\u003C\/a\u003E, director of Georgia Tech\u0027s Vertically Integrated Project:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.vip.gatech.edu\/teams\/vwj\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESoccer, Community, Innovation, and Politics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0022I see it as the cherry on the cake, and a way that Atlanta really could be the capital of soccer for the United States and maybe even all of North America,\u0022 said Bowman, Regents Entrepreneur and professor in the School of International Affairs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EIn their announcement, USSF leaders praised Atlanta\u0027s passion for soccer, which Bowman says is reflected in the meteoric rise of Atlanta United. Since the club\u0027s inaugural match at Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2017, the Five Stripes have continuously led Major League Soccer\u0027s attendance figures. While the numbers are impressive, Bowman says the makeup of the crowds gives Atlanta its sterling reputation in the soccer community.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0022Atlanta is a multicultural city. If you look at the crowds, it\u0027s like the United Nations at those games. There are people from every background, from different cultures, languages, and communities, including the hip-hop community. So, Atlanta has a reputation of being a hotbed for soccer fans, and everywhere you go in the world, more people recognize Atlanta for soccer than they do for hosting the Olympic Games,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EAlong with providing world-class resources to the USSF\u0027s 27 national teams, the training center will host youth tournaments, community conferences, and will serve as a gathering place for the broader soccer ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ECommunity Connection\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ECommunity engagement has been a key factor in the sport\u0027s continued growth in Atlanta dating back to the Atlanta Chiefs in the mid-1960s. Bowman explains that prior to the inception of the city\u0027s first professional soccer team, just two high schools fielded teams of their own. By 1969, as players began touring the area and speaking to schools, that number had grown to 160.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EAlong with the work being done by grassroots organizations such\u0026nbsp;as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.soccerstreets.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESoccer in the Streets,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;including\u0026nbsp;its\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.itsmarta.com\/station-soccer.aspx\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStation Soccer program\u003C\/a\u003E, Bowman views the training center\u0027s construction as a similar opportunity to introduce the sport to a new generation of Atlantans, particularly in underrepresented communities.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0022Community engagement is already happening here, and it has been for a long time with a lot of successful organizations. So, additional notoriety highlighting the sport and additional dollars can go a long way with these organizations that are already so successful,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EStill, there is work to be done to connect with all communities around the metro area. \u0022Soccer has become a real growth sport in the northern arc around Atlanta and in the city, but there is still so much to do geographically and to really engage communities south of I-20,\u0022 Bowman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EIt\u2019s Atlanta! \u2014 Again\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProximity to the world\u0027s busiest airport helped attract the USSF to Atlanta, as did a $50 million donation from Arthur Blank, philanthropist and principal owner of Atlanta United. The gift will increase accessibility at the training facility, funding the construction of facilities for U.S. Soccer\u0027s nine Extended National Teams, particularly in support of the Cerebral Palsy, Deaf, and Power Soccer National Teams. It will also fuel the federation\u0027s efforts to bolster support of women\u0027s youth national team camps and women\u0027s coaching and mentorship initiatives nationwide.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Atlanta\u0027s incredible passion for soccer, corporate community, and unmatched infrastructure make this a natural home for the National Training Center. I\u0027m very confident our community will help America\u0027s finest soccer players compete on a global level like never before. I\u0027m also pleased to help U.S. Soccer with community outreach and soccer development among underserved communities as part of our contribution and know that it will benefit scores of young people through engagement with the beautiful game for generations to come,\u0022 Blank said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUSSF President Cindy Parlow Cone noted that Atlanta Mayor and Tech alumnus Andre Dickens \u0022welcomed U.S. Soccer with open arms.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022When it comes to soccer in the United States, the South\u0027s got something to say,\u0022 Dickens said in a nod to Outkast member and Atlanta native, Andr\u00e9 3000. \u0022Atlanta is a sports city. We are a soccer city, and now, we are the capital of soccer in this nation.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project\u0027s completion is expected to coincide with the 2026 World Cup, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ussoccer.com\/stories\/2023\/09\/us-soccer-national-training-center-atlanta-initial-funding-arthur-m-blank-grow-soccer-ecosystem\u0022\u003Eselected site will be announced in January 2024\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech expert says the construction of U.S. Soccer\u2019s National Training Facility in Atlanta will further the city\u2019s glowing reputation in the soccer community and expand the game\u2019s popularity among a new generation.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech expert says the construction of U.S. Soccer\u2019s National Training Facility in Atlanta will further the city\u2019s glowing reputation in the soccer community and expand the game\u2019s popularity among a new generation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech expert says the construction of U.S. Soccer\u2019s National Training  Facility in Atlanta will further the city\u2019s glowing reputation in the soccer community and expand the game\u2019s popularity among a new generation.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-10-10 18:23:26","changed_gmt":"2023-10-11 14:58:33","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671997":{"id":"671997","type":"image","title":"Atlanta United opens its inaugural season on March 5, 2017, against the New York Red Bull. Image courtesy of Atlanta United.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAtlanta United opens its inaugural season on March 5, 2017, against the New York Red Bulls at Bobby Dodd Stadium on the Georgia Tech campus. Image courtesy of Atlanta United.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696963571","gmt_created":"2023-10-10 18:46:11","changed":"1696964135","gmt_changed":"2023-10-10 18:55:35","alt":"Atlanta United opens its inaugural season on March 5, 2017, against the New York Red Bull. Image courtesy of Atlanta United.","file":{"fid":"255173","name":"atlutd_nyrb_03052017-467_web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/10\/atlutd_nyrb_03052017-467_web_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/10\/atlutd_nyrb_03052017-467_web_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1252103,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/10\/atlutd_nyrb_03052017-467_web_0.jpg?itok=0_Vh9MZ6"}}},"media_ids":["671997"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Communications Officer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}