It’s more than soccer. It’s more than sports. This is about moving a town forward.

That’s the spirit Birmingham Legion FC hopes the city embraces as the club begins Year Two of its existence with an enormous party on Saturday at BBVA Field. Legion FC plays a preseason game at 3:30 p.m. against Atlanta United of Major League Soccer, and good luck if you are still searching for a ticket.

Those things are gone, y’all. This game has transformed into a festival of pride for fans of soccer and the city, and a destination for pretty much everyone under the age of 35.

Don’t misunderstand because I know this soccer stuff can still be a little confusing for everyone around here. I’m not talking about Atlanta United II, which plays in the United Soccer League with Birmingham Legion FC. The hometown boys are playing Atlanta United’s first team here in Birmingham’s Southside.

It’s Three Sparks vs. Five Stripes. #HammerDown vs. #UniteAndConquer. It’s nice to have y’all in Birmingham, but don’t try to sit in the Magic City Brigade supporters’ section wearing an Atlanta United scarf or you might be eating it. There are about 220 members of the Magic City Brigade, but they’re always looking for fresh faces and new friends.

Atlanta United’s supporters’ group will be close to 400 strong, I have been told, and they’re bringing a drumline.

“There aren’t many opportunities to play a game like this, and especially to treat our fans,” Birmingham Legion FC coach Tom Soehn said. “There are going to be some plays that they make and you’re going to go, ‘Wow, that’s some really good quality stuff.’ Hopefully we can eliminate some of that, but really it’s about being a fan of soccer, and what better team to have here than Atlanta.”

Birmingham Legion FC’s regular season begins on March 15. Birmingham vs. Atlanta, a preseason friendly for both teams, is a showdown made possible because Birmingham has its own independent, locally owned professional soccer club, and Atlanta wants to come to town and grow their brand here while also helping Birmingham realize its own potential.

The game is a hard sellout, and the pregame festivities begin at 10 a.m. at Bessie Estell Park. Live music starts at noon, and the gates to the soccer stadium open at 2 p.m.

“It’s going to be an all-day party,” Birmingham Legion FC president Jay Heaps said.

Birmingham Legion FC advanced to the second round of the USL playoffs in its first season, and the team has signed some excellent new players to go along with its original core of fan favorites, but this game against Atlanta United isn’t really about how well the hometown team upgraded in the offseason. This game is a celebration of Birmingham, and also a neighborly welcome to the most popular pro soccer club in the United States.

Atlanta United, now beginning its fourth season, regularly sells out Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the team is in the hunt for the MLS Cup and MLS Supporters’ Shield every season. Five Stripes begins round one of the CONCACAF Champions League on Feb.18. Their top players and best fans are sharing that passion with Birmingham, which feels like the start of what could be a Southern soccer tradition.

“First and foremost, having Atlanta here is going to raise the profile of soccer in the city,” Soehn said. “Our expectation is we’re going to go out and compete with everything we have, but I think it’s more about the joy of having an event the city can grow into, and the game can grow itself. So, we’re going to use it the right way. We’re so thankful they’re coming.”

Atlanta United is an international soccer success story and their home games are amazing, but they’re going to find a fun atmosphere here in Birmingham, too. Birmingham Legion FC built a passionate fanbase in Year One of its franchise, plays in an excellent soccer-specific stadium and the club’s foothold in the city is growing quickly. Team management has partnered with local soccer clubs to form a development league, and more engagement is on the way.

“My favorite thing is the commitment of some of our fans,” said Heaps, the team’s president who coached and played in the MLS. “I know Birmingham is passionate about their college football, but I see that same passion in our games. Now we have to get more people to feel that way, and be a part of it.”

Here’s a pro tip, and possibly the best bit of insight I can offer as the respected sports columnist for AL.com. Bring cash for beer, and preferably the local Good People variety. There will be beer hawkers walking the soccer stadium, which is clutch for a game of constant action, no timeouts and plenty of opportunities for screaming, singing and dancing.

It’s only an exhibition friendly, but it’s also one of the biggest pro sporting events in Birmingham featuring a local team in a long time.

More big days like this are on the way.