Long before Nermin Sakonjic was leading fan chants in the Atlanta United supporters stand, he was one of the many Atlanta natives growing up hoping for a local soccer team to call his own.
“I grew up around soccer. My parents are from Bosnia and there, it’s almost a daily activity. I supported the Bosnian national team and watched a lot of European club soccer but never really had a favorite team.”
However, that all started to change when he first saw signs and scarves popping up across the city with one short slogan: Atlanta MLS 2017.
“I instantly got really excited, seeing all these clubs around the world having such a big fan base and being excited for every single weekend because it always brings a new game and a new experience.
"Having that in our own city, it gave me goosebumps.”
That push for an MLS team grew into what is now Atlanta United, and around it formed supporters groups. But Nermin knew from the start he wanted to help replicate the passionate atmosphere created by his beloved Bosnian National team. So, he spoke with the governing powers of his supporters group and slowly became the leader of the crowd.
“My supporters group, Resurgence, went to the youth team match against Pace Academy last year and we were like hey, we need a guy to think up chants and kind of lead them for us. I tried it and they asked me to do it again at the preseason match against Columbus. I grabbed the megaphone a couple of my Bosnian buddies have used before, and ever since then it’s kind of stuck to me.”
Despite Atlanta United’s stellar play on the field, many fans say the atmosphere in the stands has turned into the lasting memory of the inaugural season. The team has sold out every home match so far this season, and the crowd’s presence has turned into a valuable asset in Atlanta’s home field advantage.
“The turnout surprised me, but more so the diversity. Living in Atlanta, it’s a really diverse city with people from every single side of the world. But no matter people’s background, everybody was just united into one stadium supporting the same team.
"You see people coming with camo hats and cowboy boots playing country music, or people playing Spanish music or hip hop. But they’re all watching a soccer game.”
Nermin says he saw criticism from some other MLS fan bases predicting a slow start for Atlanta United and its fans. But he says it’s obvious why the city has embraced the team from the start.
“Soccer’s everywhere here. You go to every single county in the metro area, you’re going to see soccer teams and people who are interested. You go to downtown to watch a game, whether it was a U.S. game or whichever club team around the world that visits, there are tons of people because this is a soccer town.
"This city is built on soccer.”
So what’s the leader of the cheers’ favorite cheer? Nermin says it’s the call and response “Atlanta United” chant, because it gets the whole stadium involved and he’s had friends tell him they hear it from miles away. But there’s another chant that gave him a moment he’ll never forget.
“I remember the first or second game, I was leading the Viking clap, and I saw the entire stadium joining in with us, and it just gave me a sense of euphoria. I was like wow, this is actually happening, we’re actually doing this.
"This is my city, this is my club, and we’re actually making one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever seen.”
Even if the results turn south, Nermin says he’s already red, black and gold through and through. And he’s urging fans to resist the urge of “fair-weather fandom” and to keep building what has become a unique and special part of Atlanta culture, for now and into the future.
“We have a lot of stuff in store, we’re planning to make an even more intense atmosphere in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and we’re going to make everything perfect for that first game and going forward. We have the highest attendance in MLS, so let’s not let it die down.
"Let’s keep the tradition going because this team is bringing this city together.”
© 2026 Atlanta United FC
.png){kind=logo}
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)