Atlanta United 2 has signed Academy goalkeeper James Donaldson to a contract through the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season. The club announced that Donaldson will become a Homegrown signing effective January 1, 2027.
“James has displayed tremendous growth since his arrival at the Academy, and this is another step forward for him as he continues his development,” said Atlanta United Director of Methodology Javier Peréz. “We are very excited to see another exciting Academy prospect take the next step forward in their career. We are looking forward to watching James continue on the pathway from the Academy, to the second team and on to the First Team.”
Donaldson, who is 16 years old, joined Atlanta United’s Academy in August 2021 after playing for NASA Tophat. He was part of the U-13 squad when he arrived. In 2025, while playing for the U-16 Academy team, Donaldson recorded seven shutouts over 1,966 minutes played. During the 2025 Generation adidas Cup, he helped lead his team to the semifinals by defeating Minnesota United’s U-16 team and Club América from Liga MX. For his performance in that tournament, Donaldson received the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award.
Internationally, Donaldson has represented the United States U-15 Youth National Team several times and is also eligible to play for England.
As of September 2, 2025, Atlanta United 2’s roster includes one goalkeeper—James Donaldson—along with four defenders, five midfielders (including one on loan from Atlanta United), and four forwards (one currently on loan with Philadelphia Union II).
