317 – Atlanta’s World Cup Moment Will Change Soccer Forever – Neil McNab, President of Georgia Soccer

Podcast 317 – Atlanta’s World Cup Moment Will Change Soccer Forever – Neil McNab, President of Georgia Soccer

Who better to talk about soccer’s next big moment than Neil McNab? He’s the President of Georgia Soccer and the man who helped bring organized soccer to Dunwoody as Executive Director of Rush Union.

The 2026 World Cup is headed to Atlanta, and if history repeats itself, the sport is about to surge. After the 1994 tournament, youth participation in the U.S. jumped 20%. The city has already proven it’s a soccer hotspot, with Atlanta United’s record-breaking attendance and a new NWSL women’s pro team launching in 2028. There’s going to be a lot of kids in Atlanta falling in love with the beautiful game.

Georgia Soccer wants to make sure all the new players inspired by the World Cup have a place to play. That means scaling access, improving coaching, and building lasting infrastructure that supports the game for generations to come.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-317

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