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Just in time for the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has unveiled a sprawling, state-of-the-art complex in the Atlanta suburbs that shows just how much the nation’s soccer community is willing to spend on soccer. The most commonly cited cost estimate of The Arthur C. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center is $250 million, though some reports put the number a little lower. Most of the funding comes from the U.S. Soccer Federation, which floated $200 million in bonds via Fayette County’s development authority…..Continue reading….
By: Beau Dure
Source: Forbes
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Critics:
U.S. Soccer has been instrumental in bringing international soccer tournaments to the United States, significantly influencing the sport’s visibility and popularity domestically, such as when the federation successfully bid for the FIFA World Cup and hosted it in 1994. The edition broke attendance records for the tournament and provided a major catalyst for growth in the sport nationwide, and its success contributed directly to the founding of MLS in 1996.
The United States will again be in the global spotlight as a co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, in a tournament that will feature an expanded field of 48 teams.The US has also hosted two editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup: in 1999 and 2003, both of which helped elevate the women’s game to new heights in the United States and around the world.
U.S. Soccer also served as the organizing host for the Olympic soccer tournaments during the 1984 edition (held in Los Angeles) and the 1996 edition, hosted in Atlanta and the first time a women’s soccer tournament was held, integrating the sport into these high-profile global multi-sport events.
U.S. Soccer serves as the official governing body for soccer in the United States, and it is tasked with organizing national teams, sanctioning professional and amateur leagues, overseeing refereeing and coaching standards, and promoting the game at all levels across the country working closely with state and local level organizations for youth and amateur leagues.
Throughout its history, U.S. Soccer has presided over a significant expansion of soccer’s popularity and infrastructure, from grassroots youth participation to professional leagues such as Major League Soccer (MLS), and the national teams, youth and senior.
The federation has also established and supported national competitions, such as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, established in 1913 (as the National Challenge Cup), which is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States, open to all professional and amateur teams. The U.S. Open Cup later was renamed in honor of Lamar Hunt, a key figure in the development of American sports as a whole.
U.S. Soccer is governed by a board of directors that administers the affairs of U.S. Soccer. Cindy Parlow Cone, former 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and long-time U.S. Soccer administrator, became president in March 2020 following the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro. JT Batson was named chief executive officer and secretary general in September 2022.
U.S. Soccer members are individuals and affiliate organizations. The national council is the representative membership body of the federation. It elects the president and vice president, amends the bylaws, approves the budgets, decides on policies adopted by the board, and affirms actions of the Board.The non-profit organization is a member of the worldwide soccer body FIFA and the North American soccer body CONCACAF, and also has a relationship with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.
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