UPSL Georgia Changes Format, Atlanta United Academy Rejoins for Fall 2025
Officially for the Fall 2025 season, the UPSL Georgia Conference (Premier Division) will increase to a total of 16 teams from 14 and will see the return of the Atlanta United Academy.
The Conference will be split into two separate zones of 8. The top 4 teams in each zone will qualify for the playoffs, with the bottom team in each being relegated to Georgia Division 1. The winner of the conference playoffs will enter the first round of the UPSL National Playoffs.
The schedule for the fall season is expected to release soon. Each participating club will play everyone in their zone once and everyone in a designated sub-group twice, home and away, for a total of 10 regular season matches.
The members of each zone are listed below.
Premier Division Zone 1
1. Atletico Buford SC
2. Atlanta Fire United FC
3. FC Columbus Elite
4. Georgia Athletic SC
5. Georgia Impact SC
6. Georgia Revolution FC
7. Kalonji Pro-Profile
8. Pachuca Georgia
Premier Division Zone 2:
1. Atlanta United Academy
2. FC Birmingham
3. Dalton United FC
4. Limeno Georgia
5. North Georgia United FC
6. Potros FC
7. Scenic City FC
8. Soccer Saves Lives FC
You may notice some expected teams missing and surprise inclusions on the list.
Chattanooga FC announced their intention to field their second team in UPSL Georgia, but have decided to start in Division 1 rather than Premier.
Fountain City FC out of Columbus dissolved to merge with spring season finalists UMA FC. UMA requested to skip the fall season in Premier and will only have a Division 1 and women’s team.
FC Birmingham were given the choice to stay in the Premier Division, even though they were set to be relegated, due to the increase in teams. They accepted. The other potential team relegated, Albion SC Atlanta, did not register for the fall season.
Atlanta Fire United earned the first automatic promotion spot by topping Division 1 in the spring regular season. Scenic City FC earned the second by winning the playoff final.
With two extra spots in the top division, Atletico Buford qualified as the playoff runner-up. Finally, Georgia Impact, who finished 4th in the Georgia North Zone behind the 3 promoted clubs, were invited up for the final spot. Middle Georgia United, Champions of the Georgia South Zone, and others did not meet the financial or competitive requirements.
It’s an era of change for UPSL Georgia, and it’s one that favors regionality and rivalries while making the stakes higher than ever before.
There are some surprises here for sure. I thought FC Birmingham was going to be relegated, and I haven't seen news regarding a merger between Fountain and UMA
If only UPSL would catch on in Louisiana and Mississippi like it has in places like Georgia and the Carolinas.