Games of Atlanta’s Legacy (GOAL) is a special journalism project through the Atlanta Way 2.0 Future of Journalism Initiative led by Atlanta journalist Floyd Hall. To deepen public understanding of Downtown Atlanta’s cultural, business, transit, and community infrastructure—past, present, and future—particularly in the context of major global events such as the 1996 Olympics and 2026 World Cup, while centering community voices and civic belonging. Join us as we explore the impact of pivotal sporting events on Atlanta’s rich culture and community, highlighting stories that unite us all through soccer.
By Floyd Hall, Journalist & Cultural Producer
Soccer in the Streets has managed to grow fandom—and community—at the most elemental level by leveraging public transit.
Soccer in the Streets brings together youth and adults across Atlanta in the spirit of providing access to soccer competition and instruction. While the FIFA World Cup unites fans to cheer on competition at the highest level from nations all over the globe, Soccer in the Streets has been a similar anchor for the sport at the grassroots level since it was founded in 1989—and this year marks the 10-year anniversary of its pilot StationSoccer program in partnership with MARTA.
Since the pilot at Five Points MARTA Station, StationSoccer has grown to feature teams from the East Point, East Lake, Kensington, Lindbergh, West End stations, respectively, that compete in sport and grow community by leveraging public transit as its connective infrastructure. StationSoccer attempts to provide an accessible pathway that grows the global game in neighborhoods across the city, along with the camaraderie that accompanies generations of passionate fans.
A little over a month before the FIFA World Cup matches take place in Atlanta, StationSoccer held their very own 8 & Under “World Cup” at Kensington Station. For anyone questioning whether Atlanta can truly be a soccer city, taking in a SoccerStation experience quickly puts those doubts aside. Click below to hear for yourself!
In addition to the notable programming for youth, Soccer in the Streets also hosts programming for adults looking to stay connected with the game. Click here for those details and more.
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