Following the conclusion of the 2026 regular season on September 20, 2026, MLS NEXT Pro announced that Atlanta United 2 forward Arif Kovac won the 2026 Golden Boot Award and midfielder Cameron Dunbar secured the Playmaker of the Year Award, according to a team news release published by OurSports Central.
Arif Kovac Claims the 2026 Golden Boot
Arif Kovac led the league with 20 goals during the 2026 campaign, finishing with the joint-second-most goals scored in a single season in MLS NEXT Pro history, according to OurSports Central. The 20-year-old joined Atlanta United 2 on January 24, 2025. On May 16, 2026, Kovac set an MLS NEXT Pro single-match record by scoring five goals in a 6-2 victory over Huntsville City FC. According to MLS NEXT Pro, Kovac secured his first professional scoring title by netting his 20th goal in the third minute of a 4-2 Decision Day victory over Orlando City B.
“I’m very proud to win Golden Boot,” Kovac said, as reported by MLS NEXT Pro. “It’s something that I really focused on, and something that I really felt like I could help the team with.”
Cameron Dunbar Wins Playmaker of the Year
Cameron Dunbar finished his campaign with a league-leading 13 assists and 72 key passes, tying the single-season assists record in NEXT Pro history, according to OurSports Central. The 23-year-old midfielder joined Atlanta United 2 on December 17, 2025, after spending three seasons at USL Championship side Orange County SC. Dunbar entered Decision Day tied at 11 assists with Columbus Crew 2 midfielder Kevin Gbamblé before recording two assists against Orlando City B to secure the award, according to MLS NEXT Pro.
“All I can do is create and give them passes, and then I leave the rest of them to put it away,” Dunbar told MLS NEXT Pro.
Atlanta United 2 Playoff Outlook
The combined 45 goal contributions from Kovac and Dunbar helped Atlanta United 2 achieve its most wins, points, goals, and assists in a single season in team history, according to OurSports Central. Head coach Jose Silva praised the squad’s collective output and identified the upcoming postseason as the next objective. Finishing as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta United 2 will select its opening-round opponent during the Pick-Your-Opponent selection shows on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, ahead of the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
Worth a look