Atlanta United is giving undiscovered players across the southeast a unique opportunity to land a spot on an MLS roster.
Starting this weekend, ATL UTD will offer tryouts in four cities throughout the region, a rare chance for under-the-radar athletes to make the expansion club’s first team as it builds its inaugural roster for the 2017 season.
The tryouts will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta, and will provide participants the opportunity to be assessed by professional scouts.
American Family Insurance, Atlanta's primary kit sponsor, partnered with the club to introduce the tryouts.
Atlanta United has signed six players so far, including Kenwyne Jones, Jeffrey Otoo, Chris McCann, Junior Burgos, Andrew Carleton and Alexandros Tabakis. Carleton is the club's first Homegrown player.
The Atlanta auditions are in the same vein as Sueño MLS, an annual tryouts program in several MLS markets which rewards the best field player and the best goalkeeper with a spot on an MLS academy team. The talent search helped discover stars such as Jorge Villafaña, who helped Portland win the 2015 MLS Cup.
