September 6, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release
ATLANTA – Ahead of MLS NEXT’s opening weekend on Saturday, Atlanta United’s Academy today announced its coaching staff and competitions. Led by Director of Methodology Javier Pérez, who enters his first full season after joining the club in April, the academy enters its ninth season with all five Academy squads (U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16 and U-18), competing in MLS NEXT. The season opens Sept. 7, with home openers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta on Sept. 14. Select matches from the home openers will be streamed live on ATLUTD.com/live.
The club held its annual Academy dinner Wednesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to signify the start of the year. Joining Pérez to address the players were President and CEO Garth Lagerwey and Interim Head Coach Rob Valentino. The teams recently wrapped their preseason, highlighted by the U-14s winning the 2024 Greenport International Tournament in the Netherlands after defeating Belgian club K.R.C. Genk in a penalty shootout.
“We are thrilled to kick off the 2024-25 Atlanta United Academy season and are looking forward to an exciting campaign from each of our teams,” Pérez said. “With each squad now competing in MLS NEXT, we believe each team will compete at a high level to allow our players to maximize their potential. We also have an incredible group of coaches that bring a wealth of knowledge and strong work ethic to the table that will help successfully guide our players through the club’s development pathway.”
As part of MLS NEXT’s fifth season, multiple changes were made to evolve the Pro Player Pathway. Beginning this year, MLS academies will move from U-15 and U-17 age group designations to U-16 and U-18 age group designations. Additionally, all MLS academies will also compete in the U-19 age group with rosters comprised of U-18 players along with a limited number of overage players. Designed to improve the player pathway by optimizing the transition from the academy level to MLS NEXT Pro, this evolution results from comprehensive analysis, including input from Chief Soccer Officers, Academy Directors, and coaches throughout the MLS ecosystem. For more information on MLS NEXT’s evolution and its 2024-25 schedule, click HERE.
Additionally, 19 players from Atlanta United’s Regional Development School, the club’s pre-academy feeder system, will join the Academy across five age groups this year. The Regional…
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