After a seven-year soccer career in the United States, little did Darren Eales know he would eventually return to America to head an MLS expansion franchise at a time where there’s never been more excitement, support and hype surrounding the sport in the country.
Lured to Atlanta not only by the opportunity to start a club from scratch in the fastest growing soccer league in the world, but also an owner in Arthur Blank who is dedicated to the success of the organization and an international city full of rich culture which Eales dubs the ‘hidden gem of the USA’.
“I think it’s one of the best cities in the world, so I’m really excited to call it home.”
Joining Atlanta United as the club’s president just over two years ago now, Eales says as far as expectations go off the pitch, the support has been absolutely unbelievable.
“I don’t think any of us expected the city of Atlanta to be so behind the club and so united around the team. It’s been the best surprise, just humbling and amazing.”
Over 55,000 people attended Atlanta United’s inaugural match and those massive numbers turned heads globally, marking it the fourth highest attended match in the world that weekend. Beyond the pure magnitude of fans, Eales has been particularly impressed by the Atlanta faithful.
“When we had that first match, I couldn’t believe how into the game the fans were, how knowledgeable the fans were, how passionate the fans were, and honestly if you could’ve put any sort of stranger in that stadium, they would’ve thought that this club had been around for thirty years at least.”
One of the reasons for the astonishing support for the club and booming investment in the sport in the U.S. is its unique fan experience. Soccer culture provides something so different so uncanny, Eales says it’s difficult to find any type of analogy in another sport played in the country.
“The fan experience is not prescriptive. A soccer fan is part of the experience. A soccer fan owns that experience. Soccer fans make tifos, they spend two weeks preparing a tifo for a match, they develop original chants, specific chants for their teams. That level of expression you just don’t get in other sports.”
Record-setting support is not the only mark made in the inaugural season as the monumental moments continue to emerge for Atlanta United. After breaking ground last February, Eales and the club were able to finally unveil the Atlanta United sanctuary that is their training complex in Marietta.
“It’s a chance for us to personify what our club is about. The design of the building is all about inclusiveness, it’s all about aspiration and it’s all about world-class. And I think those three factors define what we are trying to do as a club.”
Despite all the success and excitement stemming from this year, Eales sees beyond the inaugural season for the expansion club. For Atlanta United’s president, there’s a vision that stretches far past initial achievement, one where Atlanta United is ingrained in the community, ingrained in MLS and ingrained on the world stage. One where the crest of Atlanta is synonymous with pride.
“Pride in the club and pride in the city. In 15-20 years I’d love it to be that sense of pride that when someone sees Atlanta United they think that’s my club, they play some of the best, most exciting soccer in the world.”
© 2026 Atlanta United FC
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