College football is so important in the Southeast that a radio station in the Atlanta area bills itself as the College Football Voice of the South. But now soccer is encroaching on football's cultural turf in greater Atlanta.
As teams prepare for the first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the U.S. Soccer Federation, the governing body for all forms of soccer in the country, is moving into its new digs in Fayetteville, Georgia, south of the state's capital.
The Arthur M. Blank U.S Soccer National Training Center aims to offer much of what soccer players and coaches need to keep building on the sport's momentum in greater Atlanta and across the country.
The building comes on line as 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico roll out the welcome mats for soccer squads from around the world. Atlanta is one of the host cities, along with New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto and Mexico City, among others.
While the U.S. National Training Center won't be involved with practice for the 48 national teams playing in the World Cup, when it comes to future training for the top American soccer players, both men and women and from all age groups, Atlanta is their destination.
Designed by Gensler, the world's largest architecture firm, the 200,000-square-foot facility is loaded with amenities while avoiding distracting graphics, videos and bright colors. Other notable features include:
- Office space for 350 U.S. Soccer employees.
- A 10,000-square-foot fitness center for weight training and cardiovascular exercise.
- 20 locker rooms.
- 17 outdoor playing surfaces, 13 regulation-sized natural grass fields and two indoor fields.
Gensler crafted the facility to be usable for all types of players, including those with physical disabilities, as well as deaf players and athletes with cerebral palsy.
"Locker rooms, circulation routes, training spaces and support areas are thoughtfully designed to accommodate athletes of varying abilities," Andrew Jacobs, principal and design director at Gensler, said in a statement.
The building also has spaces where younger players can learn how to improve.
"The campus is organized to create visible pathways of progression, where young players can see and aspire to the highest levels of the game," Jacobs said.
The overarching theme of the design was to create a space with limited distractions so players can keep their minds on soccer.
"The architecture is intentionally restrained, shaped by timeless materials and a quiet discipline that creates a sanctuary for practice and performance," Jacobs said.
It's no accident that the U.S. Soccer Federation picked Atlanta when it decided to leave Chicago. Atlanta United, the city's professional men's soccer team, routinely tops attendance figures for Major League Soccer.
The U.S. Soccer Federation's plan for a new home also got a boost when Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank donated $50 million, and Chick-fil-A chairman Dan Cathy donated the land.
Blank's feet reside in both soccer and football: He owns the Atlanta United and the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
Of course, Atlanta faces fierce competition in its bid to be the top dog in both college football and soccer in the U.S. The University of Alabama, about 200 miles west of Atlanta in Tuscaloosa, is the undisputed dynasty in college football, with a record 18 national championships. And Kansas City, Missouri, can stake a claim as the true hotbed of soccer in the U.S., with two soccer-specific stadiums and the nickname "Soccer Capital of America."
Still, when it comes to soccer, players and coaches who are training to represent the U.S. in global competitions will now have one place to set their sights: Atlanta.
Even if local sports-talk radio station 680, The Fan, touts college football as one of the Atlanta sports scene's top claims to fame.
B U I L D I N G D A T A
Building Name: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center and Headquarters
Building Size: 200,000 square feet
Owner: United States Soccer Federation
Design Architect and Architect of Record: Gensler
General Contractor: Brasfield & Gorrie
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
Opened: May 2026