Understanding the Atlanta United standings is essential for any fan following the club’s journey through the Major League Soccer (MLS) season. As of late August 2025, Atlanta United finds itself in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, a challenging position as the team battles to secure a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. We will explore the team’s performance, key players, and the roadmap to a postseason push, providing a clear, engaging, and data-driven perspective for both new and seasoned supporters.
The Foundation: What Are MLS Standings?
Before diving into the specifics of Atlanta United’s current position, it’s vital to understand the basic mechanics of how MLS standings work. Unlike many European leagues where a single table determines the champion, MLS operates with a conference-based system and a season-ending playoff tournament.
The Two-Conference System
Major League Soccer is divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each team plays a 34-game regular season schedule. While there are a handful of inter-conference matches, the majority of games are played against conference opponents. The standings are primarily tracked within these conferences, and playoff qualification is determined by a team’s performance relative to others in its own conference.
Decoding the Standings Table
An MLS standings table is a wealth of information, and knowing what each column represents is key to interpreting the data correctly.
MP (Matches Played): The total number of games a team has completed during the season.
PTS (Points): The most critical metric. Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a draw (tie), and zero for a loss. The team with the most points at the end of the season is considered the best regular-season team and wins the Supporters’ Shield.
W-D-L (Wins-Draws-Losses): A quick snapshot of a team’s record. For example, a record of 5-11-12 indicates 5 wins, 11 draws, and 12 losses.
GF (Goals For): The total number of goals a team has scored.
GA (Goals Against): The total number of goals a team has conceded.
GD (Goal Differential): The difference between GF and GA. A positive number indicates a team has scored more goals than it has conceded, while a negative number shows the opposite. This is a crucial tie-breaker.
PPG (Points Per Game): The total points divided by the number of games played. This metric can be particularly useful for comparing teams that have played a different number of matches.
Home/Away Record: These columns provide a breakdown of how a team has performed at its home stadium versus on the road.
A Look at the 2025 Atlanta United Standings
As of late August 2025, the Atlanta United standings present a clear picture of a team facing a significant uphill battle. With a record of 5-11-12 (Wins-Draws-Losses) and 26 points from 28 games played, the club sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. This places them outside of the current playoff picture. Their goal differential of -17 is a stark indicator of their struggles, as is their home record of 4-6-4 and a challenging away record of 1-5-8.
Key Statistics and What They Reveal
Low Win Total: With only five wins in 28 matches, Atlanta United has a historically low win rate for the club. This indicates a consistent struggle to secure maximum points, often settling for draws or suffering losses.
High Number of Draws: The 11 draws show a team that can be resilient but struggles to find the winning edge. While a point is better than none, it’s not enough to climb the table when other teams are securing three points with victories.
Poor Goal Differential: The -17 goal differential highlights both offensive and defensive issues. While the team has scored 32 goals, they have conceded a staggering 49, the second-most in the Eastern Conference. This is a major concern and a key reason for their low standing.
This combination of factors paints a picture of a team that has been unable to translate its talent into consistent results, a sentiment echoed by fans and analysts.
The Road to the Playoffs: An Uphill Climb
The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs expanded to include 18 teams, with the top nine from each conference qualifying. The format is as follows:
Seeds 1-7: Automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 Series.
Seeds 8-9: Qualify for the single-elimination Wild Card matches. The winner of the Wild Card match advances to face the No. 1 seed in the Round One series.
For Atlanta United, a direct entry into the Round One series is now mathematically impossible. Their only path to the postseason is through the Wild Card spots, meaning they must climb from 12th place to at least 9th in the remaining games.
How-To: Calculating Atlanta United’s Playoff Chances
To understand the challenge ahead, let’s break down the factors that will influence Atlanta United’s playoff push.
Points Gap: The first step is to identify the number of points separating Atlanta United from the 9th-place team. As of late August, the gap is significant. For example, if the 9th-place team has 40 points, Atlanta United needs to make up 14 points in their remaining six games.
Games Remaining: Atlanta United has a limited number of games left to earn points. With a challenging schedule ahead, every match is a “must-win” for their playoff hopes.
Opponent Standings: The difficulty of the remaining schedule is a critical factor. Are they playing teams at the top of the conference, or are they facing teams also fighting for their playoff lives?
Tie-Breakers: If Atlanta United finishes with the same number of points as another team, the tie-breakers come into play. The first tie-breaker is total number of wins, followed by goal differential. Given their low win total and negative goal differential, Atlanta United would likely lose a tie-breaker. This makes earning as many points as possible, even with draws, all the more crucial.
Recent Trends and Key Players of the 2025 Season
The 2025 season has been a year of significant change and high expectations for Atlanta United. The team started the season under new head coach Ronny Deila, and a major headline was the return of fan-favorite Miguel Almirón from Newcastle United. The club also made a statement by breaking the MLS transfer record to sign striker Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough for $22 million.
Performance Under Ronny Deila
The transition to a new coach has been a mixed bag. Deila’s side has struggled with consistency, as reflected in their record. While there have been flashes of brilliance, particularly in moments of individual quality, the overall team cohesion has not been strong enough to produce winning results on a regular basis. The team’s body language has, at times, exuded a sense of frustration and disconnect, according to reports.
The Impact of Key Players
Emmanuel Latte Lath: The record-breaking signing has been a focal point of the attack. He is the club’s top goalscorer in the league with 7 goals, and has 8 across all competitions. His performance has been a bright spot, but it hasn’t been enough to lift the team.
Miguel Almirón: The returning star has added a dynamic element to the attack, but the partnership with the team’s other forwards has not consistently clicked.
Jayden Hibbert: The young goalkeeper has been a standout performer, often making critical saves to keep the team in games. His heroics, such as a recent stellar performance against Nashville SC, have been a lifeline for a struggling defense.
Aleksei Miranchuk: The Russian attacking midfielder has been a creative force, contributing to the attack alongside Latte Lath and Almirón.
Ronald Hernández: The defender has been a consistent performer and even scored a crucial, and rare, goal in a recent victory, demonstrating his commitment to the team’s cause.
Despite the individual talent, the team has not been able to find a collective rhythm, leading to their current predicament in the standings.
Practical Tips for Following Atlanta United’s Standings
For the dedicated fan, keeping up with the standings is a weekly ritual. Here are some practical tips to stay on top of the team’s progress:
Utilize Official MLS Resources: The official MLS website and app are the most reliable sources for real-time standings and schedules. They also provide detailed statistics for each team and player.
Check Sports News Outlets: Reputable sports news sites like ESPN, FOX Sports, and CBS Sports maintain up-to-date standings tables that are easy to read and understand.
Set Up Notifications: Many sports apps allow you to set up notifications for your favorite team’s matches and standing changes, so you’re always in the loop.
Understand the “Games Played” Column: When comparing teams, always pay attention to the “Matches Played” column. A team with fewer games played but a higher point total is in a stronger position. The “Points Per Game” (PPG) metric can help you make a more accurate comparison.
Follow Social Media: Official and fan-run social media accounts often provide live updates during games and post the standings after each match, offering a quick and convenient way to stay informed.
Real-Life Example: A Look Back at the 2024 Season
To contextualize the current situation, it’s helpful to look at how Atlanta United performed in 2024. The team finished 9th in the Eastern Conference, securing the final playoff spot. This was a season where they were “fine,” as described by analysts, with an even goal differential and a mix of results. They leaned on a strong defensive posture and relied on a few key players to get them into the postseason.
The 2025 season was supposed to build on that, with significant investments in attacking talent like Almirón and Latte Lath. The expectation was a climb up the standings, not a struggle to make the playoffs. The current standings reflect a failure to meet those expectations, highlighting the unpredictability of sports and the complex dynamics of team chemistry, coaching, and performance.
FAQs
How many teams make the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2025?
In 2025, a total of 18 teams qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. This includes the top nine teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. The top seven from each conference automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 series, while the 8th and 9th seeds in each conference face off in a single-elimination Wild Card match.
What is the Supporters’ Shield and who is currently leading the race?
The Supporters’ Shield is an annual award given to the team in Major League Soccer with the best regular-season record. It is determined by the total number of points across all 30 teams, regardless of conference. As of late August 2025, the Philadelphia Union is leading the race for the Supporters’ Shield.
What happens if Atlanta United and another team have the same number of points at the end of the season?
MLS has a specific set of tie-breakers to determine final standings. The first tie-breaker is the total number of wins. If teams are still tied, the next factor is goal differential (GF – GA), followed by goals scored, and so on.
Who are the top goalscorers for Atlanta United in the 2025 season?
Emmanuel Latte Lath is the leading goalscorer for Atlanta United in the 2025 regular season with 7 goals. Aleksei Miranchuk and others have also contributed to the team’s total.
How many games does Atlanta United have left in the 2025 season?
As of late August 2025, Atlanta United has six regular-season games remaining. Their final match will be on “Decision Day,” a day when all 30 MLS clubs are in action simultaneously to finalize the playoff standings.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Atlanta United standings are a reflection of a season of unmet expectations and inconsistent performance. While the team boasts world-class talent and has made significant investments, the results on the field have not followed.
The path to the playoffs is a steep one, requiring a near-perfect run in the final games of the season and a major shift in momentum. For fans, this is a time for both measured hope and realistic perspective. The team’s final position in the standings will not only determine their playoff fate but will also serve as a crucial indicator of the direction the club will take in the years to come.
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