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Chelsea FC has once again worked Atlanta into its preseason plans, this time expanding its local outreach into a one-day soccer festival as the club builds relationships among football fans in the city.
The club last year played in one of two matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the English Premier League hosted its first preseason tour in the U.S.
Partly based on the success of that sold-out contest against Newcastle FC, the club is returning to Atlanta to face off Wednesday night against Mexico City’s Club America, which has been involved in friendlies here since before Atlanta United was established in 2017.
On Thursday, Chelsea will host the Chelsea FC StationSoccer Festival, the culmination of a week of community programs being organized in partnership with Soccer in the Streets, a local nonprofit that teaches low-income Atlanta kids life skills through soccer.
The nonprofit’s award-winning StationSoccer initiative aims to boost access to the sport by locating soccer pitches inside MARTA transit stations like the one at the Lindbergh Center where Thursday’s event will be held.
Chelsea FC legend Gary Cahill, who won two Premier League championships and a Champions League title with the team during his eight-year tenure, will be joined by current first-team players at all-day event, which is to include DJs, food trucks and five-a-side matches on the StationSoccer pitch. The event is sponsored by video game provider EA Sports and organized in partnership with the United Kingdom government’s Department of Business and Trade.
EA Sports in August will launch its FC 2025 video ame, which allows players to manage their dream five-on-five teams and play with friends online.
“We are really privileged to travel to the US for our pre-season tour again, and want to show our appreciation and commitment to the tour by connecting deeply with the communities around us. It’s always been a value of Chelsea thanks to our hyperlocal presence and connection to the area around us in our home city. We’re excited to be bringing football to so many children in Atlanta in partnership with Soccer in the Streets,” said Casper Stylsvig, chief revenue officer at Chelsea, said in a news release circulated by the British consulate in Atlanta. “We’re also delighted to be working with EA Sport, an existing club partner which is at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and community.”
The British government is supporting the event through its GREAT marketing campaign. The festival comes as the U.K. continues to use sports to open doors for economic diplomacy in Southeast U.S. and as Atlanta continues to build its soccer resume in advance of FIFA World Cup’s 2026 tournament. Eight matches including a semifinal are set to be held in Atlanta.
Soccer matches in the city have become occasions not only to host inbound international visitors, but also to showcase Atlanta as an entry point for sports tech companies looking to break into the U.S. market.
Argentine companies explored that angle as their team defeated Canada in the Copa America opener in June.
Find out more information about the festival on the British American Business Council of Georgia’s website or register directly here with Chelsea.