When Major League Soccer announced the arrival of Atlanta United in 2014, few outside the Southeast expected much. Atlanta had no deep soccer tradition compared to cities like Seattle or Los Angeles, and skeptics wondered if fans would even show up. What happened next stunned the league — and changed its future forever.
Within weeks of season tickets going on sale, Atlanta fans sold out tens of thousands of seats, despite the fact that the team had no players, no finalized roster, and not even a completed stadium. Demand was so high that a waiting list had to be created, with thousands of fans paying deposits just for the chance to buy tickets later.
The frenzy only grew. By the time Atlanta United played its first MLS match in 2017, they were already smashing attendance records. When their permanent home — Mercedes-Benz Stadium — opened later that season, the club immediately became the league leader in crowds, regularly drawing 70,000+ fans, rivaling attendance figures of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
It wasn’t just numbers — it was culture. The supporters’ group, known as “The Faction” and others, built one of the most electric atmospheres in MLS, with European-style chants, massive tifo displays, and passionate rivalries. Atlanta United became the poster child for what an expansion team could be, setting the standard for future franchises like Charlotte FC, St. Louis CITY SC, and Miami.
The sold-out tickets before a ball was even kicked proved something vital:
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Soccer wasn’t just growing in traditional markets.
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Fans in so-called “non-soccer cities” were hungry for the game.
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MLS expansion wasn’t a gamble anymore — it was a gold rush.
As MLS Commissioner Don Garber put it during the team’s launch:
“Atlanta didn’t just join the league. They redefined what expansion means.”
What began as skepticism turned into a phenomenon. The madness of Atlanta’s ticket surge showed that American soccer wasn’t just surviving — it was thriving, fueled by passion that could rival any league in the world.
