Atlanta vs. Kansas – News and Probable Lineups

In a contest showcasing the two lowest-ranked teams in MLS at the moment, Atlanta United will host Sporting Kansas City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

Although they recently secured a 2-1 victory over Minnesota United, the Five Stripes still find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 18 points, which is three more than Kansas City, who sit at the very bottom of the Western Conference after managing a 1-1 draw against St. Louis City.

Match overview

Despite being last in the East, Atlanta United appears to be improving, as they seek a third consecutive MLS win this weekend.

Gerardo Martino’s squad is six points short of the final playoff position but could potentially rise from 15th to as high as 10th in the standings with a good performance and some help.

A win this weekend would match their longest winning streak in this tournament since 2021 (three matches) and also equal their tally of home victories from the 2025 regular season (four).

So far in 2026, the Five Stripes have scored only 23 goals, the lowest tally among Eastern Conference sides, although they have found the back of the net in all but one of their regular season home games this year.

Atlanta has suffered losses in three domestic matches this year after taking the lead, conceding six points at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when doing so.

This Sunday marks their first encounter with SKC since 2022, with Atlanta having won the previous two MLS matches against them by a total score of 6-1.

While the Five Stripes are on an upswing, it has been a different story for Sporting Kansas City, who will be looking to break a three-match losing streak in MLS this Sunday.

Raphael Wicky’s team failed to score in any of those defeats and currently holds the league’s highest away loss record, with eight losses on the road this season.

Their tally of 19 goals ranks as the lowest in the league this term, and they also sit at the bottom in terms of expected goals with a statistic of 18.3.

On the defense front, Sporting has struggled considerably, conceding a league-high 49 goals, including three or more in seven different matches this season as visitors.

Moreover, they have given up the second-fewest major scoring opportunities in MLS this year (35) but have failed to score on eight occasions in 2026.

This Sunday presents an opportunity for them to end a six-match winless run in MLS away from home against Eastern Conference opponents, with their last victory against an Eastern side happening back in March 2024 against Toronto (3-1).

Team News

Will Reilly may again be absent for Atlanta as the Homegrown midfielder is nursing an injured ankle, while Ajani Fortune remains a doubt due to a hamstring issue. The club is also working on obtaining Maricio Amaro’s permit.

Tristan Muyumba scored for the third consecutive match midweek, as he and Tomas Jacob found the net in their narrow win against Minnesota.

For Sporting KC, Or Blorian is uncertain due to a back injury, and Andre Luiz might not play unless his visa issues are resolved.

Calvin Harris netted the only goal for them on matchday 20 against their Missouri rivals, overtaking Manu Garcia for second on the team with three goals this season.

Atlanta United probable starting XI:

Holes; Jacob, Gregersen, Alonso, Baez; Alzate, Gill, Muyumba, Almiron; Miranchuk, Picault

Sporting Kansas City probable starting XI:

Cleveland; Davis, Miller, Meyer, Reid; Capita, Johnsen, Bassong, Harris; Joveljic, Afrifa

Things seem to be falling into place for the Five Stripes, who have an array of quality attacking options that are likely to challenge a fragile SKC backline.