Atlanta United supporters
Atlanta United supporters
Courtesy of Atlanta United
When Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank launched a successful Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise bid in 2014, some were skeptical that soccer could make it big in a city nestled deep in football country. At the time, there were no other MLS teams in the Southeast, aside from Orlando City, which had recently joined the league. But from the start, the team has redefined what the global game can look like in not just the region, but the country at large.
Even before Atlanta United took the pitch in March 2017, local interest reached frenzied levels. Fans wrapped around the block for a chance to see the unveiling of the team’s kit (full uniform), and four months before the first match, more than 20,000 tickets had already been sold. Supporters packed the initial games held at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and after the team moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in September 2017, attendance surged to unprecedented levels. The club has led MLS in average attendance every year since it entered the league, and it boasts 18 of the top-25 highest attended matches in league history—an extraordinary accomplishment for an American club not yet a decade old.
Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank leads the club in a celebration
Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank leads the club in a celebration
Courtesy of Atlanta United
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens hits the team’s Golden Spike before a game
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens hits the team’s Golden Spike before a game
Courtesy of Atlanta United
Atlanta United’s fan culture contributes to an electric game-day atmosphere. Six organized supporter groups—including Footie Mob (one of the first founded), All Stripes (an LGBTQ+ group), and La Doce (centered on Hispanic culture)—are known for raucous tailgates and full-throttle chanting. Members of the groups participate in a pre-match ritual known as the Golden Spike ceremony, in which a prominent local figure (such as Evander Holyfield or CeeLo Green) hammers a large railroad spike into a platform in front of the supporters’ section, symbolizing the connection between the team, the city, and the fans. The train horn that sounds to kick off every home game is another nod to Atlanta’s history as a railroad hub.
Fans had good reason to cheer from the start, as the team quickly found its footing and began racking up wins. The team qualified for the playoffs in their inaugural season, and just one year later captured the MLS Cup—the fastest championship win in league history. That year’s squad, coached by Gerardo “Tata” Martino (who left after the 2018 season but returned in 2025), featured two breakout stars: Venezuelan striker Josef Martínez, who was named league MVP, and Paraguayan right winger Miguel Almirón, who was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. Martínez would go on to become the face of the franchise in its early years, while Almirón made headlines in 2019 with a $22 million transfer to Newcastle United—a league record at the time. (He rejoined Atlanta United in 2025.)
The team also invested in its academy system. One of the most notable success stories is that of Caleb Wiley, an Atlanta native who signed at age 15 after coming up through the youth ranks. Wiley, who served as a ballboy during Atlanta’s 2018 championship season, earned a transfer to Chelsea in 2025 and is now considered a rising star for the U.S. national team.
Atlanta United right winger Miguel Almirón with the MLS cup
Atlanta United right winger Miguel Almirón with the MLS cup
Courtesy of Atlanta United
Eight years after Atlanta United’s debut, the team’s influence now extends beyond the MLS. In 2024, Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted games for Copa América, and the U.S. and Mexican national teams and the English Premier League frequently schedule matches in the city, drawn by the crowd size and venue quality.
In 2025, the team completed a $23 million expansion of its training complex that will serve as a FIFA World Cup 2026™ base camp, adding a content studio for podcasting, video, and photo shoots, plus a gym to complement its already sprawling six full-length fields. Perhaps the most illustrative example of Atlanta’s rising soccer stature: the U.S. Soccer Federation is relocating its national headquarters from Chicago to Atlanta. The new building, scheduled to open in 2026, will be named in honor of Arthur Blank.