Richard Gunney

On Oct. 19, 2026, Atlanta City FC named Richard Gunney as Chief Soccer Officer of the club. In his role, Gunney oversees the club’s soccer operations and sporting vision, while leading the development of a sustainable, winning culture both on and off the pitch.

Gunney is a highly accomplished soccer executive and sporting leader with more than 20 years of experience across player recruitment, coaching, talent development, technical leadership, analytics, and soccer operations. Widely recognized for building high-performance organizations, he brings extensive experience from leadership roles in the United States and the United Kingdom, including a decade working in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Prior to joining Atlanta City FC, Gunney most recently served as director of scouting and recruitment for Gotham FC from 2022-26. With Gotham FC, Gunney was responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of player recruitment, developing a comprehensive player identification and evaluation system, and leading scouting networks and processes for the club. During his tenure, Gotham FC captured two NWSL Championships, the inaugural CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup in 2025 and the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2026.

Prior to Gotham FC, Gunney served as an assistant head coach for the Portland Thorns (2017-21) and the San Diego Wave (2021-22) during San Diego’s inaugural season as an expansion club. As an assistant head coach, Gunney was tasked with leading a coaching program for an attacking style of play and played a key role in supporting the recruitment of domestic players.

As both an assistant head coach and a director of scouting and recruitment, Gunney has made the postseason in each of his 10 years in the NWSL.

Before his tenure in the NWSL, Gunney held senior coaching and technical leadership positions with Vienna Youth Soccer, Fulham FC, and the Football Association of Wales. A UEFA A Licensed Coach with expertise spanning sporting strategy, player pathways, coach development, and organizational leadership, he has helped develop elite international talent while guiding clubs and organizations toward long-term competitive excellence.

A native of Cardiff, Wales, Gunney and his wife, Louise, have one daughter, Ava.