Atlanta: home of the world favorites
Atlanta has seen some of the best matches, best teams, and world favorites as a host site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During group play, fans and event goers in Atlanta got a chance to see one of the best teams and players in the world, as Spain—which was the betting-favorite heading into the World Cup—and phenom winger Lamine Yamal began their quest for the World Cup in Atlanta.
Spain playing in Atlanta also led to Atlanta being the host site for one of the biggest upsets in group play, with Cabo Verde playing Spain to a draw in Cabo Verde’s first-ever World Cup game.
Cabo Verde emerging onto the scene via its tie with Spain then led to Atlanta hosting one of the World Cup’s top underdog stories through group play. Cabo Verde went on to tie Uruguay and Saudi Arabia before it advanced to the knockout round and fell to defending champion Argentina. For a nation competing in international soccer for the first time, Cabo Verde’s run was impressive and highlighted some of the best parts about international tournaments.
After group play, the knockout rounds began and Atlanta has seen a star-studded cast for them. In the opening round, Atlanta hosted England and DR Congo. Both teams were loaded with Premier League stars, and the game saw Harry Kane—one of the world’s best players—score England’s winning goal at the 86-minute mark.
Atlanta’s red carpet then rolled toward the second round, with one of the most popular athletes in the world—Lionel Messi—coming to town as Argentina played Egypt on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium.
The attendance numbers for Atlanta’s FIFA Fan Festival also speak to how good the soccer has been at Atlanta Stadium, with Atlanta hosting more fan festival attendees than any other U.S. host site.
Much of the local focus seems geared toward ensuring fans enjoy their time spent outside of the stadium in Atlanta, but the level of play, the stars involved, and the high-energy fan festivals going on have surely left a good impression in the eyes of the soccer community. And for a city that loves sports the way Atlanta does, it’s only right for Atlanta to get this level of play.
