Atlanta United has seven players heading to their national teams for the September and October FIFA window. This break runs from September 21 through October 6. The club confirmed that Miguel Almirón , Júnior Alonso , Paulo Díaz , Breel Embolo , Alexey Miranchuk , Fafà Picault , and Cooper Sanchez recieved national team up calls. This group represents a massive chunk of the starting lineup leaving Mercedes-Benz Stadium behind.
Per Atlanta United FC , most of these stars will miss the upcoming match against New York City FC on September 26. The only exceptions are Breel Embolo and Cooper Sanchez. These two will stay with the club for the NYCFC game before joining their respective camps. The rest of the group leaves immediately to prepare for international duty. It is a tough hit for the team right now.
The call-ups include serious talent with deep international experience. Almirón and Júnior Alonso are heading to Paraguay . They will play friendlies against Bolivia on September 27 and Colombia on October 2. Atlanta United FC stated that Almirón has begun 73 of his 80 appearances for Paraguay. Since debuting in 2015, he tallied 10 goals and seven assists. Alonso has started 74 of his 76 games with three goals and three assists.
Paulo Díaz is going to Chile for matches against Canada on September 26 and the United States on September 29. He has made 56 appearances for Chile. Breel Embolo joins Switzerland for four Nations League Group Stage matches. Switzerland faces North Macedonia on September 26, Scotland on September 29, Slovenia on October 3, and North Macedonia again on October 6. Switzerland saw Embolo start every one of their six quarterfinal matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals and added two assists in that tournament.
Alexey Miranchuk returns to Russia for friendlies against Iran , Namibia, and Nigeria later in the month. Haiti will receive Fafà Picault for four Concacaf Nations League Group Stage matches. His schedule includes games against Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica , and the Dominican Republic. Cooper Sanchez heads to the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team. He will play Brazil 's U-20s and Denmark 's U-20s in Spain on October 1 and October 4. Atlanta United FC stated this summer that the U-20 squad earned qualification for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
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Missing five players for the NYCFC match is a massive challenge for the coaching staff. The team has to find replacements who can step in immediately. The gap left by Almirón and Díaz is especially wide. These two players control the tempo and the defense. Losing them for nearly two weeks tests the depth of the roster. The club must rely on bench players to hold the line.
The schedule is tight with games right after the window closes. Teams often struggle when stars return from long trips. Fatigue sets in quickly. However, having players like Embolo and Sanchez stay for the NYCFC game helps. It keeps some rhythm going before the big break. The rest of the squad will need to fight hard to keep points on the board.
Atlanta United will need every available player to survive this window. The return of these seven stars will be a boost, but the gap they leave is real. The team must navigate the NYCFC match without their top weapons.
