Against the New York Red Bulls on March 5, Atlanta United played their first match at Bobby Dodd Stadium and dropped a 2-1 decision on a late own goal by Anton Walkes. The 55,297 people in attendance didn't seem to care as they showed right away that they were worthy of an electric atmosphere.

A week later, the team flew to Minnesota to play their expansion counterparts and came away with their first win in a 6-1 thrashing, helped along by a hat trick by Josef Martinez. Atlanta United would use a 4-1-3 stretch in the summer as momentum leading to their first game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against FC Dallas in Early September.

After winning that game 3-0, the club would lose only one game the rest of the year to finish in fourth place in the East at 15-9-10. In their playoff game at home against Columbus Crew SC, United would come up short in a shootout 3-1.