Atlanta City FC, a new NWSL expansion side beginning play in 2028, hopes to build its identity with U.S. women's national team players. Chief Soccer Officer Richard Gunney told reporters Monday that the national team has always been part of the league's identity and that successful NWSL teams know how to tap into that mentality.
"The successful teams in this league have always had a core U.S. women's national team presence on those rosters," Gunney said. "We aspire to have that same core, that spine. Not necessarily a positional spine, but a cohort of players that set the tone, drive the standards, and lead by example."
Gunney, who has been an NWSL assistant coach on multiple occasions, was recently announced as Atlanta City's CSO after his most recent success as Gotham FC's director of scouting and roster development. He was formally introduced in Atlanta on Monday as one of the key decision makers for what is expected to be a highly visible expansion franchise.
It's worth noting that U.S. Soccer's main headquarters is now located south of downtown Atlanta. The Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center was officially unveiled in May in Fayette County. Blank owns both Atlanta United and now Atlanta City. Gunney hopes to maximize a potentially fruitful relationship with U.S. Soccer.
"Will we have those players from the U.S. women's national team on day one for season one? That's to be determined," said Gunney. "But the ambition and the aspirations are that we want to be a destination for U.S. women's national team players. We want to be a great partner for US soccer. Obviously, that partnership is well established. We want to continue that partnership and work closely together."
Gunney referred to Blank's AMB Sports and Entertainment group and Mercedes-Benz Stadium as "world-class" and said the expectation will be for Atlanta City to be known for an attacking brand of soccer. The league's transition-type style of play lends itself to physical and athletic players. Gunney said that his team will recruit every international market for players, but leaned on the notion that U.S. national team players will be targets.
"I think there's some great reasons for U.S. women's national team players to be on this team and in this area," Gunney said. "So we'll be working hard, and I'm sure that will be something that will build gradually and continue to evolve."
How Atlanta City builds its roster will be a fascinating watch. Gunney admitted that some players, beginning in January 2027, will be signed to the club before the appointment of the team's first head coach. "I think the number of signings that we might make prior to a head coach's arrival would be small," he added.
Atlanta City will be permitted to sign players beginning in January, then again in the summer of 2027 and again in January of 2028. Gunney does not believe the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf will affect recruitment, namely players who would be signed as High Impact Players. The current NWSL salary cap, Gunney said, will not deter the club's ambition.
"We're not restricted," Gunney said. "We have opportunities. We can attack this in a variety of different ways. We'll collectively come together as a group, take input from a variety of sources, have a strategy, have a clear strategy, attack that strategy and build accordingly."
"It's about trying to find the right opportunities for you," he continued. "That's right for you as a club and not necessarily copy compared to (other NWSL teams). So it'll be unique to Atlanta City FC and unique to this organization. But I feel very confident we have all the opportunities to attack this."
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
US Women's national team, Atlanta City FC, NWSL, Sports Business
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