NATIONAL ACADEMY CENTER - ADVANCING U.S. SOCCER TO INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE

Abstract

The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) for soccer is currently in disarray, infamously not qualifying for the World Cup in Russia 2018. The USMNT is unable to replicate the success of the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) because of a lack of a consolidated youth development system in the nation. With the US set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 alongside Canada and Mexico, the stage is primed for the USMNT to make a comeback. A multi-use youth development center can unify and cultivate the growth of soccer in the heart of the nation, complete the historic L’Enfant plan, reinvigorate a faltering neighborhood, provide the structure needed for a future expansion academies nationally, attract domestic and international players to US Soccer, and be epicenter of a thriving sports community in the heart of the nation.