NEW YORK (July 27, 2022) — Atlanta United 2 defender Noah Cobb and Atlanta United Academy defender Malachi Grant have been selected for the inaugural 2022 MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate, the league office today announced. The match will be played the morning of the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday, August 10 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.
Cobb, 17, has made 16 appearances and 15 starts for Jack Collison’s ATL UTD 2 side this season. Becoming a Homegrown player on Jan. 1, 2023, the defender’s play in USL Championship and Generation adidas Cup earned him a callup to the United States U-19 men’s youth national team in April.
Grant, 16, played a pivotal part in the Atlanta United Academy U-16’s run to the quarterfinals of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs. Primarily a left back, Grant scored a late goal from more than 20 yards out against Baltimore Armour to secure a win in the Round of 32.
Twenty-eight of the 29 MLS academies and five non-MLS academies are represented through the 45 players selected, with the match providing a national platform for the best young players in North America to display their skills.
Further information on how to live-stream the game will be provided by MLS at a later date. Admission to the match is free of charge.
