Women’s professional soccer is coming to Downtown as Atlanta City FC prepares to take the pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, sharing space with Atlanta United and Atlanta Falcons.
On Sunday, Oct. 4, Atlanta City FC will unveil the team’s colors, crest and branding during a free celebration with music, merchandise, and food at Southern Exchange Ballrooms, 200 Peachtree St., from noon to 4 p.m.
Atlanta City FC is owned by Arthur Blank, who paid $165 million to expand his portfolio. Inspired by the character of Atlanta, the club was created to represent a city defined by resilience, culture, innovation and ambition, Atlanta City FC said.
“When we were awarded an NWSL franchise, our goal was to build a world-class club with a brand that reflects our city’s strength, diversity and spirit,” Blank said in a statement.
The club, set to begin playing in 2028, has incorporated symbols including a phoenix rising, a dogwood blossom, a hidden letter ‘A,’ and colors red, peach, gray, and black to reflect Atlanta’s passion, hospitality, innovation, and perseverance.
“Atlanta is a city that has always forged its own path,” Atlanta City FC Chief Business Officer Deandra Duggans said. “Atlanta City FC reflects the energy, diversity and ambition that define this community, and we are proud to build a club that belongs to Atlanta and represents its future on the national stage.”
In 1996, upwards of 76,000 fans attended the women’s soccer championship match of the Summer Olympic Games held in in Athens, GA, helping to spark momentum for the launch of the Women’s United Soccer Association. The first fully professional women’s soccer league in the U.S., WUSA launched the Atlanta Beat in 2001. When the league folded, several players moved to the Atlanta Silverbacks women’s team.
In November 2025, Atlanta was awarded the National Women’s Soccer League’s 17th franchise. The Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center opened in May in Trillith in Fayette County, featuring 17 fields over the 230-acre property. The training center was built in a partnership between Blank, Chick-fil-A Chairman and CEO Dan T. Cathy, and businesswoman and sports investor Michele Kang.
