MLS All-Star Game headed to Atlanta in 2018

ATLANTA (AP) — The 2018 Major League Soccer All-Star Game will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The league announced Monday that the midseason game will be played in the city that set attendance records in the inaugural year for Atlanta United. The team set an MLS season mark with an average of 48,200 a game and broke its own single-game record with a crowd of 71,874 for the regular-season finale against Toronto FC on Sunday.

The All-Star Game features a squad of the top MLS players against a leading international team, which will be announced later.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber says United's first season "is one of the most compelling and impressive expansion team launches in the history of pro sports." Atlanta will host a knockout-round playoff game against Columbus on Thursday night.