Atlanta United signs James Donaldson to Homegrown contract

The 16-year-old was recently awarded Goalkeeper of the Tournament in the Generation Adidas Cup.

Sept 2, 2025

James Donaldson will join Atlanta United as a Homegrown starting with the 2027 season, the team announced Tuesday.

Donaldson, a 16-year-old native of Nashville, Tennessee, who resides in Woodstock, will join Atlanta United 2 from the Academy effective Tuesday.

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Donaldson joined the academy in 2021. He has seven shutouts with the Under-16 team this season. He was recently awarded Goalkeeper of the Tournament in the Generation Adidas Cup.

“James has displayed tremendous growth since his arrival at the Academy, and this is another step forward for him as he continues his development,” Atlanta United Director of Methodology Javier Peréz said in a statement provided by the team.

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