Griezmann agrees Orlando City move for July 2026
Antoine Griezmann is set to leave Atlético Madrid and join Orlando City in July 2026, with a verbal agreement now in place for the French star to move to MLS on a free transfer. The first attempt to make the switch in March was rejected, but the deal has now been agreed for the summer instead. Griezmann is also expected to travel to the United States this week, as previously reported by Marca.
It allows Griezmann to finish the season with Atlético before making the jump to the US, closing one of the most important chapters of his European career before starting a new one in MLS. The agreement feels like the final major contract phase of his playing career.
The agency behind the move – By & For Sport Management
Griezmann is represented by By & For Sport Management, the agency led by his sister Maud Griezmann. The agency positions itself around a close, trust-based model and publicly presents itself as the structure representing Antoine Griezmann. On FootballAgencies.com, Maud Griezmann is listed as Founder and CEO, having created the company in 2019 and overseeing strategy and key client relationships, including her brother Antoine.
That family-led setup is a major part of the story. This is not a player being managed through a huge external machine. It is a move being shaped through a tighter personal structure, with Maud at the center of one of the biggest late-career decisions of Antoine’s career.
Orlando get a global star with elite pedigree, while Griezmann gets a controlled transition into MLS on his own terms. The fact the March move was rejected but the July agreement is now done suggests the final solution was about timing as much as destination. Atlético could keep him for the rest of the campaign, and Orlando could secure the name they wanted without paying a transfer fee.
Who is Antoine Griezmann?
Griezmann, now 35, is one of the defining French forwards of his generation. He built his name at Real Sociedad, exploded into global elite status at Atlético Madrid, then had a high-profile spell at Barcelona before returning to Atlético. Across two spells in Madrid, he became Atlético’s all-time top scorer and one of the emblematic figures of the Diego Simeone era.
His résumé is stacked: World Cup winner with France in 2018, multiple major finals, and a reputation for tactical intelligence, creativity and relentless work rate. Even at this stage of his career, he remains one of the most recognisable names moving into MLS.
What to expect
The verbal agreement is in place, so the next steps are travel, medical formalities and the final signing process. Once completed, Griezmann will become one of the biggest names to arrive in MLS in 2026 – and another marquee move handled by By & For Sport Management under Maud Griezmann’s leadership.
