US Soccer is moving into a new home.
THE The federation announced Friday that it would build a training center for the national team in Atlanta. which will host the 27 national teams and their teams. US Soccer will also move its headquarters there from Chicago, where it has been based since 1991.
The facility is designed to centralize all operations, similar to what exists in many other countries, in hopes of spurring progress and growth. Players will have a permanent and dedicated space for training, development, recovery and performance analysis, and coaches from different programs present in the same space are also expected to promote collaboration on best practices. training and match management.
Being based in Atlanta, which has one of the largest airports in the world, will also make it easier for American players based abroad to travel. Most USMNT players play for European clubs, as do USWNT co-captain Lindsey Horan, Tokyo Olympian Catarina Macario and newcomer Mia Fishel.
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Arthur Blank, owner of Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, is contributing $50 million to the project. The money is specifically intended to build facilities for the expanded national teams, including the cerebral palsy and deaf national teams.
This will also help support training camps for women’s youth teams, as well as coaching and membership programs. The need to emphasize these points became even more urgent during the World Cup, where the USWNT made its first elimination at a major international tournament.
The two-time defending champions lost to Sweden on penalties in the round of 16.
“This national training center will accelerate the growth of soccer in this country and represents a commitment to developing elite soccer players for decades to come,” U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. “Investing in youth and adult programs as well as our expanded national teams reflects our commitment to ensuring players of all ages and backgrounds can find a home and thrive in the sport.”
US Soccer is currently looking for a site for the training center, with the decision expected to be announced in January.
