Professional Soccer in Atlanta: What Teams the City Has and How to See a Match

Atlanta absolutely does have a professional soccer team—and not just one. If you live in Atlanta, are visiting, or are just trying to understand the local sports scene, you’ll find a major league team, a women’s pro club, and a professional reserve team, all based in and around the city.

This guide explains:

• What professional soccer teams Atlanta has
• Where they play and what level they’re in
• How to get tickets and what to expect on matchday
• Options for youth, recreational, and lower-division soccer around the metro area

Atlanta’s Main Professional Soccer Team: Atlanta United FC

Atlanta’s flagship professional soccer club is Atlanta United FC.

What league does Atlanta United play in?

Atlanta United competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top tier of men’s professional soccer in the United States and Canada. MLS is the same league that includes clubs like LA Galaxy, New York City FC, Inter Miami, and others.

For anyone asking, “Does Atlanta have a professional soccer team?” the primary answer is yes – Atlanta United is Atlanta’s major league club.

Where does Atlanta United play?

Most home games are played at:

Mercedes‑Benz Stadium
1 AMB Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

This is the same downtown stadium used by the Atlanta Falcons. It’s MARTA-accessible via the GWCC/CNN Center and Vine City stations, which makes it easier to attend games if you live in the city or are staying near Downtown or Midtown.

For some special matches or U.S. Open Cup games, the team has also used Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, but MLS home games are typically at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium.

How professional is the team?

Atlanta United is a fully professional club with:

• A first-team roster of contracted professional players
• Full-time coaching, training, sports science, and support staff
• A dedicated training complex in Marietta

The club is considered one of the more visible MLS organizations, with strong attendance and a large local fan base.

Atlanta United 2: The Reserve/Development Team

Beyond the first team, Atlanta has a professional reserve side:

Atlanta United 2 (often called ATL UTD 2) plays in MLS NEXT Pro, a professional league that serves as a development pathway for MLS clubs.

What is MLS NEXT Pro?

MLS NEXT Pro is a professional league below MLS, designed mainly for:

• Young players preparing for the first team
• Reserve players who need regular competitive minutes
• Prospects moving up from academy or college soccer

Even though it’s a development league, matches are official professional games, with paid players and coaching staff.

Where does Atlanta United 2 play?

Home venues can change over time, but ATL UTD 2 home games have historically been played in the metro Atlanta area, including:

• Fifth Third Bank Stadium, 3200 George Busbee Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144
• Other designated venues announced by the club season by season

If you live in the northern suburbs (like Kennesaw, Marietta, or Woodstock), these games are often closer and more accessible than a downtown MLS match.

Women’s Professional Soccer in Atlanta

Atlanta is also home to a women’s professional team:

Atlanta Vibe Volleyball Club is professional, but for soccer specifically, the landscape is more pre-professional and semi-professional rather than fully top-tier—however, the women’s game in the region is active and growing.

As of the latest widely known structure, Atlanta does not yet have a team in the top-tier National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), but the metro area regularly hosts:

• Pre-professional women’s teams in regional leagues (often branded under local clubs)
• College-level women’s soccer at schools like Georgia State University, Georgia Tech (club level), and nearby universities

If you’re specifically interested in women’s soccer, Atlanta offers:

• High‑level amateur and semi‑pro women’s teams
• Competitive college soccer
• Numerous youth girls’ clubs that compete nationally

Checking local clubs and college athletic departments is the most direct way to find current women’s teams and schedules.

Quick Overview: Atlanta’s Main Professional Soccer Options

Women’s soccer in Atlanta is currently centered around pre-professional, semi-professional, and college programs rather than a top-tier NWSL franchise.

How to See a Professional Soccer Match in Atlanta

If you’re in Atlanta and want to experience professional soccer, Atlanta United is the most direct option.

1. Getting tickets

Tickets are typically available for:

• Single matches — flexible if you’re visiting or new in town
• Season tickets — better for locals who plan to attend regularly
• Supporter section — for those who want a louder, standing, chanting atmosphere

You can usually buy tickets through:

• The club’s official ticketing channels
• The stadium box office at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium (on event days or designated hours)

For visitors staying Downtown, walking to the stadium or using MARTA is usually more convenient than driving and parking.

2. Matchday experience at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium

What to expect at an Atlanta United home game:

• Crowds: MLS games in Atlanta are often very well attended
• Supporter culture: Chants, singing, and coordinated displays, especially behind the goals
• Family‑friendly environment: Many families and youth teams attend weekend matches
• Food & drink: Concession pricing is known for being more affordable than typical big-stadium pricing, and there’s a wide variety of options

If you prefer a quieter experience, choose seats farther from the designated supporter sections. If you want the most intense atmosphere, those sections are where the drumming and chanting are concentrated.

3. Transportation and parking

For Atlanta United games at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium:

• MARTA:

  • Use the GWCC/CNN Center, Vine City, or Five Points stations depending on where you’re coming from
  • MARTA is usually the easiest way to avoid heavy post-game traffic

• Driving:

  • Several parking decks and surface lots around the stadium
  • It’s wise to arrive early, especially if you’re unfamiliar with Downtown streets or event traffic patterns

• Rideshare:

  • Dedicated rideshare pickup zones are typically set up near the stadium on matchdays

For matches at suburban venues (often used by Atlanta United 2), driving is more common, and free or lower-cost parking may be available, depending on the stadium.

Youth, Amateur, and Local Soccer Around Atlanta

If you’re asking about professional soccer because you or your child play and want to understand the pathway in Atlanta, the city has a dense local soccer ecosystem:

Youth and academy programs

Atlanta United operates a youth academy that feeds into Atlanta United 2 and eventually the first team. Many local youth clubs in the metro area also offer:

• Competitive travel teams
• Recreation leagues
• Pathways into college soccer

Club locations are spread across the metro—northside, southside, and in-town—so most Atlanta-area families can find a program within a reasonable drive.

Adult amateur and semi-pro

Atlanta has:

• Adult amateur leagues (including 7v7 and 11v11) operating in city parks and suburban complexes
• Semi-pro and pre-professional teams in regional leagues, often playing at high school or small college stadiums

These are not “professional” in the MLS sense, but standards of play can be quite high, and they’re a good option if you’re a serious player who’s moved to Atlanta and wants to stay competitive.

Who Should Care That Atlanta Has a Professional Soccer Team?

Knowing that Atlanta has multiple professional soccer options is useful if you:

• Live in Atlanta and want a regular local team to follow
• Are visiting and want a uniquely Atlanta sports experience
• Have soccer‑interested kids and want to show them high-level play
• Follow MLS or U.S. soccer and want to understand how Atlanta fits in

In short: Yes, Atlanta has a professional soccer team—Atlanta United FC in Major League Soccer—plus a professional reserve team (Atlanta United 2) and an active ecosystem of women’s, youth, and amateur soccer throughout the metro region. If you’re in or around Atlanta and you enjoy the sport, you have multiple ways to watch and connect with the game locally.