Cary and Atlanta were in the mix for the U.S. Soccer Headquarters four years ago when Atlanta’s Arthur Blank agreed to provide $50M for the project and help raise more to build a training center for camps, games and offices near Atlanta.
The $250M project envisioned by Cindy Parlowe Cone of Chapel Hill, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, recently opened on a 200-acre campus in Fayette County, Ga., south of Atlanta not far from the airport. U.S. soccer had moved from California to Colorado to Chicago to what is now the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. This is the first time U.S. Soccer has had all its functions—from staff headquarters to its entire training, medical and educational center to the home for every one of its 27 national teams in one place.
“We are in service to soccer to make sure the game is growing and make it the most popular participation sport in the country,” Tom Norton told Forbes about opening the center ahead of the 2026 men’s World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and likely the 2031 women’s World Cup in the U.S. He’s the general manager of the center.
“The ultimate goal is all of these things are happening at the same time. If there is a tournament, there is also referee education and coaching education. That is the unique thing this space gives. It is all here together.”