Head coach Tata Martino and his staff announced on May 24 the final starting eleven for Atlanta United FC ahead of the FIFA World Cup break. The team will face Columbus Crew in a Sunday Night Soccer match at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, aiming to build momentum after a previous 3–1 home loss to Columbus in April.
This announcement is significant as it marks the last league fixture before the international break, giving Atlanta United an opportunity to finish the first half of their season strongly. The club continues to focus on performance improvements following recent matches.
The defensive lineup includes Lucas Hoyos, Tomás Jacob, Enea Mihaj, Juan Berrocal, and Elías Báez. In midfield, Tristan Muyumba is joined by homegrown players Jay Fortune and Cooper Sánchez. Saba Lobjanidze and Luke Brennan support Alexey Miranchuk at forward as Atlanta seeks attacking opportunities.
The full starting XI consists of Lucas Hoyos, Tomás Jacob, Enea Mihaj, Juan Berrocal, Elías Báez, Tristan Muyumba, Jay Fortune, Cooper Sanchez, Saba Lobjanidze (who will reach his 100th appearance in all competitions), Luke Brennan, and Alexey Miranchuk (captain). Reserves include Jayden Hibbert, Pedro Amador, Matt Edwards, Will Reilly, Ronald Hernández, Stian Gregersen, Miguel Almirón, Sergio Santos, and Cayman Togashi.
Additional roster notes highlight that during a recent Orlando doubleheader, Jay Fortune created a career-high five chances and scored goals in back-to-back league matches for the first time. The club also reports it ranks among Major League Soccer’s top-10 teams in possession statistics ahead of this match and is among the top-5 for taking shots from outside the box.
Atlanta United FC operates from Atlanta as part of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. The club achieved wins in MLS Cup (2018), U.S. Open Cup (2019), and Campeones Cup (2019), according to the official website.
