Anyone who’s driven in Atlanta has likely used the connector.
The passage merges two major interstates into one stretch that cuts north-south through downtown Atlanta. Whether making your way from Cabbagetown to Marietta on I-75 or to catch a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson airport from Brookhaven, the connector unites an influx of travelers. Some are native to the city, some are just passing through. They’re all heading different directions yet all passing right through the heart of Atlanta, creating the pulse that brings a city to life.
This is the inspiration for “The Connector,” the latest Atlanta United kit launched on February 14. The new jersey will serve as the club kit for the 2025 and 2026 MLS seasons and debut on the pitch at the home opener against CF Montréal on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The kit – known simply as The Connector – shows the foundational five stripes alternating in the club’s primary colors, red and black. Gold unites the threads with the shine like a trophy.
“Our club kit is the heartbeat of our identity, and The Connector is a powerful evolution of our 5-Stripes tradition,” said Skate Noftsinger, Atlanta United Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. “We’re proud to unveil a design that not only celebrates Atlanta but also reinforces our connection with the community as we prepare for another exciting chapter in our history.
The Connector is all about togetherness. Look around at an Atlanta United match and you’ll see a reflection of the city. A diverse group of people – different ages, different backgrounds, speaking different languages, some natives, some transplants, some driving in from the suburbs, others taking MARTA from Midtown or Buckhead. They all shout the same chants, cheer for the same goals and clap their hands for the same team. Soccer in the South brings all kinds of people together in the same way Atlanta’s downtown connector does on a Saturday night.
The kit connects aspects that have long defined Atlanta United with fresh elements that make this edition special:
- 5-Stripes – One stripe for each of our five pillars: unity, determination, excellence, community and innovation.
- Jock Tag – The globe that opens up like the roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium represents Atlanta’s place on the stage, the epicenter of soccer in North America.
- Black base – The base symbolizes the night sky and the stars like when supporters fill Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Gold piping – These threads represent the connection between club and community.
The Connector is available for purchase online and can also be secured in-person at the club’s team store at Atlantic Station.
Since the club’s inception in 2014, Atlanta United has always been at the forefront of culture, from the pounding drums heading up Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on matchdays to the gold crest painted on flags or pasted as stickers all over the city, from Decatur to Fourth Ward to Sandy Springs to Grove Park.
The Connector is part of that story, converging the club’s past with the present and future. The 2025 season marks a new, exciting chapter for Atlanta United. Under new leadership with Chief Soccer Officer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson and head coach Ronny Deila, the club seeks to do more than recreate the past; the club is rebuilding for a future of consistent winning. This offseason, Atlanta United signed Miggy Almirón, a key member of the club’s inaugural squad and 2018 MLS Cup. Almirón wore the very first kit in club history. This year, he’ll wear the latest, the Connector, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Connector also arrives as Atlanta rests on the cusp of hitting its mark on the global stage. Thirty years after the city hosted the Summer Olympic Games, Atlanta will again play host to a major global sporting event with the FIFA World Cup in 2026. An event of that size and scale will bring the city together and unite 17s with soccer fans all over the world.
Whether it’s bonding the past and the future or connecting a decades-long soccer fan to someone new to the game, Atlanta is the epicenter of soccer culture in North America.
The Connector brings it all together.
“The Connector," Noftsinger said, "is a tribute to the incredible bond between our fans, our club and our city."
