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:
Atlanta’s flagship professional soccer club is Atlanta United FC.
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.
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.
Atlanta United is a fully professional club with:
The club is considered one of the more visible MLS organizations, with strong attendance and a large local fan base.
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.
MLS NEXT Pro is a professional league below MLS, designed mainly for:
Even though it’s a development league, matches are official professional games, with paid players and coaching staff.
Home venues can change over time, but ATL UTD 2 home games have historically been played in the metro Atlanta area, including:
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.
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:
If you’re specifically interested in women’s soccer, Atlanta offers:
Checking local clubs and college athletic departments is the most direct way to find current women’s teams and schedules.
| Team | Level / League | Type | Typical Home Venue | In/near Atlanta? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | Top-tier men’s pro | Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, Downtown ATL | Yes, central Atlanta |
| Atlanta United 2 | MLS NEXT Pro | Pro reserve/development | Stadiums in metro area (e.g., Kennesaw) | Yes, metro Atlanta |
Women’s soccer in Atlanta is currently centered around pre-professional, semi-professional, and college programs rather than a top-tier NWSL franchise.
If you’re in Atlanta and want to experience professional soccer, Atlanta United is the most direct option.
Tickets are typically available for:
You can usually buy tickets through:
For visitors staying Downtown, walking to the stadium or using MARTA is usually more convenient than driving and parking.
What to expect at an Atlanta United home game:
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.
For Atlanta United games at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium:
MARTA:
Driving:
Rideshare:
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.
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:
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:
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.
Atlanta has:
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.
Knowing that Atlanta has multiple professional soccer options is useful if you:
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.
