Our Atlanta United 2026 season preview

On October 18, Atlanta United walked off the pitch after a 1-1 draw against D.C. United, sealing the worst 34-match finish in their history.

The then-record signing of Emmanuel Latte Lath amounted to a disappointing first season. Miguel Almirón’s return provided excitement before the season began, but even his presence couldn’t prevent the side’s struggles. Defensive mishaps, baffling goal concessions, and general apathy all equaled a disillusioned fanbase and volumes of empty seats inside a Mercedes-Benz Stadium that once boasted one of Major League Soccer’s best home-pitch advantages.

You’d be forgiven, then — even after Tata Martino was hired to replace Ronny Deila — if you’re reading this with a healthy dose of skepticism that this team will be, well, good in 2026. Which, by the way, is Atlanta United’s 10th season of existence, and a World Cup year, to boot. While the team parted ways with a handful of players, it’s nothing that can be confused with an absolute overhaul.

So will Atlanta United get better in 2026? For a club that released its new Spirit of ’96 kit with the tagline, “Big moments happen here,” are there more big moments in store in the upcoming season? Or will fans sit through another disappointing year? Let’s dive in.

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The burning question that hangs over the entire 2026 season for Atlanta United

Can Tata Martino tap into the same magic that Atlanta United had in 2017 and 2018?

You would think that this team would see some incremental improvement under Martino after the disastrous tenure of Ronny Deila. But was the decision to bring Martino back to Atlanta United simply a nostalgia play designed to rally fans after a dreadful campaign, or will the move actually reap significant benefits?

If Martino can at least provide half the spark this group needs, they’ll show at least some semblance of progress. And there’s been at least some progress…we think. A 4-0 win over USL Championship side Lexington SC in the preseason opener sowed a few seeds, but it is preseason, after all. They then lost in penalties to the Houston Dynamo after a 1-1 draw before coming back from 2-0 down to beat Red Bull New York. (Two of the goals were own goals, as a note.)

Who’s out?

The biggest name on this list is Brad Guzan, who retired after a professional football career that lasted over two decades. The club did well to retain him in an ambassadorial/advisement role to ensure he’d have a hand in what Atlanta’s future looks like.

Bartosz Slisz said his goodbyes to Atlanta as he was transferred to Brøndby in Denmark’s first division. Slisz, arguably, was Atlanta United’s best player in a season that saw more than its share of disappointing performances.

Brooks Lennon unsurprisingly didn’t have his option picked up. He left Atlanta as the club’s second-longest-tenured player by appearances, having been traded from Real Salt Lake before the 2020 season. But he saw his impact sharply decline in 2025 and, frankly, wrote his own ticket out of town.

Another polarizing player saw an end to his time with the club: Edwin Mosquera, who terminated his loan with Millonarios to sign with Santa Fe, opening up a U22 spot.

Rather surprisingly, Jamal Thiaré was traded to the Columbus Crew after his option was declined. That only paved the way for Atlanta to ink him to a 1+1 deal at a presumably reduced budget charge to retain his rights long enough for a trade.

Leo Afonso, Josh Cohen, and Nyk Sessock also had their options declined, but their collective impacts on the roster were minimal. Atlanta also opted not to bring back Noah Cobb from his loan to the Colorado Rapids, as the Rocky Mountain outfit purchased the Homegrown centerback outright.

Who’s in?

Thirty-six-year-old Lucas Hoyos, who signed on a free transfer, steps in as (we think?) the starting goalkeeper after the retirement of Guzan. Martino noted that he had trust in Jayden Hibbert, calling him “the goalkeeper of the future.” If Hoyos’s knee injury flares up, though, that “future” for Hibbert may come quicker than expected.

Former Newell’s Old Boys player Tomás Jacob was brought in from Nexaca on a U22 deal and has seen time in the midfield for Atlanta this preseason as a No. 6. For now, at least, as reports from Argentina suggest that the club is keen to sign River Plate’s Matías Galarza Fonda, who’s played as a 6, an 8, and even a 10. Another U22 signing, Elías Báez, will play at left back and provide some depth for Pedro Amador at that spot. He didn’t play during the preseason as he awaited a visa.

Meanwhile, an already stacked midfield added yet another player as former U.S. youth international Adrian Gill, a graduate from FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, joined the club.

Anyone else?

I mentioned Matías Galarza Fonda, who hasn’t been with River that long (since July) but has struggled to find playing time under Marcelo Gallardo. His time with the Paraguayan national team gives him the figurative green chemistry link with Miguel Almirón, who, I’m sure, has been giving Martino the lowdown on the 24-year-old. Galarza will likely slide into the No. 6 slot left vacant by Slisz, but he has the versatility to play as an 8 or even as a 10.

Atlanta United’s current depth chart

Galarza’s apparent signing was supposed to push Jacob into what should be a more natural role of a traditional right back in a back four or an RCB in a back three. However, now that it appears to be off the table, Jacob is your No. 6 until at least the secondary transfer window

Atlanta signing Fafa Picault gets you some needed depth on the wings. I’d also love to see them sign a third striker. That’s not to say you’ll need one, but you don’t have to break the bank to bring one in.

Can any young players break through in a big way for Atlanta United in 2026?

We’ll see. Martino didn’t quite lean on younger players during his first stint in Atlanta, and when he did, it was out of necessity. I’m very interested in seeing his approach with Brennan, who saw extended time with the first team in 2025 and showed that he was on the cusp of being a key player.

Jay Fortune’s injury recovery will determine how much (and how often) he’ll be involved, but I’m having a hard time not seeing him as a starter ahead of Tristan Muyumba once he’s fully fit. Whether Martino sees it that way is another story.

Matt Edwards started 14 games and made 20 appearances last season, but hopefully he doesn’t become a complete afterthought in 2026 — if Atlanta doesn’t pick up Berrocal’s purchase option this summer, then Edwards likely becomes the next man up at CB behind Enea Mihaj and Stian Gregersen.

Will Reilly is another player who emerged in 2025, partly due to injuries within Atlanta’s midfield ranks. Like Edwards, here’s hoping Martino doesn’t overlook the potential impact he can have.

Dom Chong Qui will likely be back with ATL UTD 2 once he recovers from his MCL injury. He, along with newer Homegrowns like Cooper Sanchez and Adyn Torres, will certainly get some reps during the U.S. Open Cup, but with Amador and Báez at LB, the 18-year-old’s impact on the first team will be limited.

Speaking of the U.S. Open Cup…

After falling in the quarterfinals at home to the USL Championship’s Indy Eleven in 2024, Atlanta United will make its return to the long-running competition in 2026 by virtue of missing the 2025 playoffs. This will probably be the last Open Cup in its current form as MLS prepares for a switch to a July-to-May calendar — the exact dates and format of the tournament after the calendar switch remains to be seen.

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What formation will Tata Martino prefer during his second stint with Atlanta United?

Here’s what I’m thinking a first-choice XI in a 4-3-3 would look like with Galarza in the fold:

I’d expect a lot of attacking play down the channels, though, allowing the wingers to push further inside. You saw some of that with Pedro Amador in his combination play with Miguel Almiron during Atlanta’s third goal against Lexington SC:

I’d also look for Miranchuk to get into more advanced positions and push toward the box more frequently. Much has been made about that left foot, but perhaps Martino can unlock his potential in ways that Gonzalo Pineda and Ronny Deila weren’t able to.

So…is Atlanta United a playoff team in 2026?

Yes, but…they’re not going to light the league on fire. This is still a group that lacks significant chemistry in the attack and is going to need time to adjust to a new tactical system. A new goalkeeper who is coming off a significant knee injury and hasn’t played a competitive match since October is being brought into the side. They’ll face a tough early schedule that starts with FC Cincinnati on Saturday and the San Jose Earthquakes a week later, before a stretch of four home matches that include the defending Supporters’ Shield champion Philadelphia Union and the Columbus Crew.

I would love to say that this will be a top-four team, but they’ll realistically be, at best, in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. If they can start out of the gates strong and solve their road woes — they won just once away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2025 — then they’ll be in decent shape.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.