ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Professional women’s soccer is coming to Atlanta, marking the 17th team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

The team will play at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium starting in 2028.

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Fans at the Brewhouse Sports Pub in Little 5 Points tell Atlanta News First they can’t wait to watch.

“Yeah, we know that men play soccer, but there’s a lot that women can do just as good or better,” Luna Maple said.

“People love going to the Atlanta United FC games ... and it adds an extra category to go out and have a good time and support your team ... create more of a community in Atlanta,” Maple said.

On Tuesday night, team owner Arthur Blank cited Atlanta United FC’s success and the fact that the U.S. Soccer Federation headquarters are moving here and the FIFA World Cup coming here in 2026 as signs that Atlanta is a soccer town.

“I believe I can confidently say that Atlanta is the epicenter of soccer in this country,” Blank said.

Ben St. Clair agrees. He works at the Brewhouse Sports Pub in Little 5 Points where soccer fans sometimes stand 500 deep on game nights.

“It’s really a dream come true for Atlanta. We’ve been wanting something like this for a while,” St. Clair said.

The NWSL says this is all still in the developmental stage. They still need to create branding, pick a name, pick where they will build their training and practice facility and pick their players.

But the fact that this team is coming gives fans more proof that Atlanta is a soccer destination for men and women.

“It just adds diversity and it’s important to have that balance,” Maple said.

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