Atlanta United 2 has already made history by reaching its first MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. Now, two of the players who powered that breakthrough season have added individual honors to the story.
Following the conclusion of the 2026 regular season, Arif Kovac won the MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot, while Cameron Dunbar was named MLS NEXT Pro Playmaker of the Year.
The awards put a spotlight on the two players who helped drive Atlanta’s most productive season in club history.
Kovac finished the campaign with 20 goals, leading the league and tying for the second-most goals scored by an individual in a single MLS NEXT Pro season.
Dunbar, meanwhile, led MLS NEXT Pro with 13 assists and 72 key passes, tying the league’s single-season assist record.
Together, they produced 45 goal contributions, the most by any duo in MLS NEXT Pro during the 2026 season.
Atlanta United 2’s Record-Setting Attack
The numbers tell a large part of the story.
Kovac and Dunbar weren’t simply productive individually. Their performances helped Atlanta United 2 establish new team records for wins, points, goals and assists during the 2026 regular season.
That production was particularly important as Atlanta pushed toward its first postseason appearance.
The two players also delivered when it mattered most.
In Atlanta’s 4-2 victory over Orlando City B on Decision Day, Dunbar recorded two assists while Kovac scored a goal. Their three combined goal contributions helped Atlanta secure the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and officially clinch the club’s first-ever MLS NEXT Pro playoff berth.
For an Atlanta United 2 team entering unfamiliar postseason territory, having two of the league’s most productive attacking players at the center of the season is a significant part of the story.
Arif Kovac’s Breakout Season
Kovac’s path to the Golden Boot was anything but ordinary.
The 20-year-old forward joined Atlanta United 2 on January 24, 2025, making three substitute appearances during his first season with the club. He scored his first professional goal on September 28 against Chicago Fire FC II.
His 2026 campaign began with another milestone.
On April 10 against Inter Miami CF II, Kovac made his first professional start and scored his first goal of the season.
From there, the production took off.
On May 16, Kovac scored five goals in Atlanta’s 6-2 victory over Huntsville City FC, setting an MLS NEXT Pro record for goals in a single match.
That performance earned him MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek honors for Matchweek 11.
Kovac didn’t slow down after that historic night.
Over his next 19 appearances, he added 13 more goals, bringing his season total to 20 and giving Atlanta United 2 its most prolific individual goalscoring season in club history.
The Golden Boot was the natural recognition of that production.
Cameron Dunbar Became Atlanta’s Creative Engine
While Kovac supplied the finishing, Dunbar consistently created the opportunities.
The 23-year-old midfielder joined Atlanta United 2 on December 17, 2025, following three seasons with USL Championship side Orange County SC.
He wasted little time making an impact.
Dunbar recorded his first two assists for Atlanta on March 15, helping the club to a 4-1 victory over Huntsville City FC.
He finished the season with 13 assists and nine goals, while leading MLS NEXT Pro with 72 key passes.
That creative output also produced another record.
On August 28, Dunbar recorded eight key passes in a single match during Atlanta’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami CF II, establishing a new Atlanta United 2 single-match record.
He then went on to finish the season with 72 key passes—the most in MLS NEXT Pro.
The result was a season in which Dunbar became the second-ever recipient of the MLS NEXT Pro Playmaker of the Year Award.
Two Different Strengths, One Historic Partnership
The most interesting part of Atlanta’s attacking success may be how naturally Kovac and Dunbar’s numbers complement each other.
Kovac’s 20 goals gave Atlanta a consistent finishing threat.
Dunbar’s 13 assists and league-leading 72 key passes provided the creative supply.
Their combined 45 goal contributions were the highest total for any duo in MLS NEXT Pro this season.
That production also gives Atlanta United 2 an important foundation heading into the playoffs.
The club isn’t entering the postseason simply because it collected enough points to qualify. Atlanta arrives with an attack that has already produced historic individual and team numbers.
The postseason, however, presents a different challenge.
Community Spotlight: Telling the Stories Behind the Numbers
Kovac’s 20 goals and Dunbar’s 13 assists tell an impressive statistical story, but their 2026 seasons are about more than numbers. From Kovac’s five-goal performance to Dunbar’s record-setting creativity, the moments behind those statistics help explain how Atlanta United 2 reached its first postseason and why this season will stand out in club history.
Atlanta Soccer News is proud to recognize Panorama Press Marketing & Media, a Metro Atlanta community partner helping businesses and organizations strengthen their visibility, share their stories and build meaningful connections with their audiences. Since 2004, Panorama Press has provided marketing, communications, digital marketing, public relations, content and web design services to help organizations communicate what makes their stories matter.
Atlanta United 2’s breakthrough season has created plenty of stories worth telling—from individual milestones to a historic first playoff appearance. For organizations looking to tell their own story and connect with the people who matter most, learn more about Panorama Press Marketing & Media and the services they provide.
What Happens Next for Atlanta United 2?
Atlanta will find out its first-round opponent on Wednesday, September 23, when MLS NEXT Pro’s Pick-Your-Opponent format returns for a fourth consecutive season.
As the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta will be able to select its opening-round opponent from the No. 5-8/9 seeds.
The selection shows will take place live on MLSNEXTPro.com, with the Eastern Conference selection scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and the Western Conference selection following at 4 p.m. ET.
The No. 8 and No. 9 seeds will first meet in the league’s inaugural Play-in Round during the weekend of October 9-11. The Conference Quarterfinals are scheduled for October 16-18.
For Atlanta United 2, the immediate focus is simple: prepare for the first playoff match in club history.
And after the seasons Kovac and Dunbar just produced, Atlanta has plenty of attacking production to take into that moment.
ASN Take
Atlanta United 2’s historic season now has two individual trophies to go with the club’s first playoff berth.
Arif Kovac’s Golden Boot and Cameron Dunbar’s Playmaker of the Year award aren’t isolated accomplishments. They’re a reflection of an Atlanta attack that set new club records across the board.
Kovac’s emergence as a 20-goal forward gives Atlanta a proven finisher. Dunbar’s creativity gives the team a player capable of consistently creating chances.
Now comes the part that matters most for the club’s next chapter: seeing whether that regular-season production can translate into Atlanta United 2’s first MLS NEXT Pro playoff run.
The first step comes Wednesday, when Atlanta chooses its opponent.
Final Word
Atlanta United 2 has already checked off a milestone that had never been reached before.
The club has made the playoffs.
Now, with the MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot winner and Playmaker of the Year leading an attack that produced historic numbers, Atlanta gets its chance to see how far this season can go.
And for Kovac and Dunbar, the individual awards provide another reminder of just how important their contributions have been to Atlanta’s breakthrough campaign.
Who will Atlanta United 2 select as its first-ever playoff opponent?
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.