Atlanta’s growing sports scene has a new team preparing to take the field, and its latest addition is already drawing up a game plan.
Atlanta City FC formally introduced Richard Gunney as its chief soccer officer Nov. 2 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, marking a major step toward the National Women’s Soccer League expansion team’s March 2028 debut. Joined by Mauricio Culebro, president of soccer for AMB Sports and Entertainment, Gunney outlined plans to build a competitive roster, recruit top talent and establish a club that represents Atlanta on and off the field.
Culebro said Gunney’s decade of NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) experience, including coaching, scouting and player development, made him an ideal candidate.
“I think the main part for me was, and for the search committee, just finding someone who wanted to come to this city and to start something new,” Culebro said.
Gunney previously served as Gotham FC’s director of scouting and roster development and worked with San Diego Wave FC during its expansion season. His experience includes contributions to championship-winning organizations.
Now, he faces the challenge of building Atlanta’s roster from scratch.
The club has three recruitment windows: January 2027, summer 2027 and January 2028. Gunney plans to distribute 26 player signings across those periods while beginning the search for a head coach immediately.
Among his priorities is attracting U.S. women’s national team players who can establish leadership and expectations for the new organization.
“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, lead by example,” Gunney said.
He also hopes to develop relationships with Georgia’s existing soccer programs and recruit homegrown talent.
“I believe Georgia is top four for a state of … representation in the [NWSL], and it clearly shows there’s a talent pool here on our doorstep,” Gunney said.
With the NWSL college draft eliminated, Atlanta can pursue collegiate players directly, potentially signing young athletes in 2027 before bringing them into the team for its inaugural season.
Gunney envisions an attacking, entertaining playing style that reflects Atlanta’s identity and gives supporters a reason to fill Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
But his ambitions extend beyond winning matches.
Asked about the club’s role in Atlanta’s community, Gunney said its values were among the reasons he accepted the position.
“What excited me and drew me into this organization is the values-driven approach and culture,” he said. “Giving back to our community is part of our core values, and that’s something that is going to be a part of the core values of the team, players, staff.”
Culebro emphasized that community engagement has already begun, even without players on the roster.
“We’re not waiting for the players to be here,” Culebro said. “We’ve already started that community work.”
He explained that Atlanta residents and supporters have helped shape the club’s identity, including its crest, imagery and colors. The organization intends to continue that grassroots approach, particularly through relationships with girls and women involved in soccer.
That commitment to community also reflects the club’s slogan, “We Play Different,” which Gunney sees as an opportunity to build a team that reflects Atlanta’s identity while challenging traditional approaches to the sport.
“We can embrace the core values of [AMBSE], which is to innovate constantly,” Gunney said. “So ‘We Play Different’ is very much an opportunity for us to express ourselves.”
Fans can also become founding members by placing a $50 nonrefundable deposit toward season tickets, securing priority seating selection in spring 2027 and access to exclusive benefits, including merchandise discounts, special events and member recognition.
Looking ahead to its inaugural 2028 season, Atlanta City FC also hopes to compete in the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup, a new national women’s soccer tournament bringing together clubs from the NWSL and Gainbridge Super League in a single-elimination competition.
Gunney also addressed the meaning behind the club’s slogan, “We Play Different,” describing it as an opportunity to innovate rather than simply follow established traditions.
“We don’t have to just respect traditions, but we don’t have to operate traditionally,” he said.
The club is preparing for its inaugural 2028 season and hopes to compete in additional competitions, including an Arthur M. Blank-sponsored cup mentioned during the press conference.
For now, Gunney’s priorities include assembling the coaching staff, identifying potential players and strengthening community relationships.
Atlanta City FC has yet to sign its full roster or play its first match, but its vision is beginning to take shape.
And while Atlanta awaits the opening whistle in 2028, the work of building its newest professional soccer team has already begun.
