At Least Five National Teams Eyeing World Cup Base Camps in Atlanta

Beyond hosting eight matches, part of Atlanta’s strategy for the World Cup is to recruit training bases for national teams, capitalizing on the connectivity offered by the airport and quality facilities. 

If exploratory missions are any indication, that recruitment seems to be going well. 

The city has already hosted teams from five countries — Spain, England, South Korea, Japan and Uzbekistan — to consider basing their teams in the metro area throughout the course of the tournament. 

“I think the connectivity through our airport is a strength for us as it relates to the operational aspect of training here, but you can’t beat having quality training sites, and we have those,” said Dan Corso, head of the Atlanta Sports Council, in a media call Jan. 16. 

The Atlanta United training facility in Marietta, Kennesaw State University and Mercer University’s soccer grounds in Macon are being held up as available venues. U.S. Soccer is also building its training ground in Fayetteville, offering a proof point that Atlanta is the epicenter for soccer in the United States. 

Of the teams mentioned, only Uzbekistan and Spain have confirmed matches in Atlanta during the group rounds. South Korea’s three group matches are in Mexico, but Atlanta offers assets that will be hard to match: quick air connections to that country, a vibrant local Korean community numbering more than 100,000 people, and daily flights to Seoul on both Delta Air Lines and Korean Air.  

South Africa does play a match in Atlanta, one of the few cities in the United States with direct flight to the country via Delta’s longstanding Johannesburg flight, among the longest in the world, and a more recently added flight to Cape Town. 

Mr. Corso cited Atlanta’s air lift into Spain as a key advantage for the city as it prepares for the “incredible opportunity to host the No. 1 team in the world.” He also pointed to corporate connections and executives of Spanish descent in Atlanta, including Georgia Tech President Angel Cabrera, as vital links. According to the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Georgia traded $1.7 billion in goods with Spain in 2024. 

Spain has an honorary consul in Atlanta, part of a diplomatic network more than 70-strong that Mr. Corso said the organizing committee has been meeting with to evaluate “supporter travel patterns, what the culture needs will be, fan behaviors, things that we could use in the information to tailor the experience for those fans coming in from the participating nations.” 

The interaction is designed also to “help the consulates figure out how they can also take advantage of their countries and business from their countries coming to Atlanta,” Mr. Corso said. 

Thirty years after the 1996 Olympics, the FIFA Fan Fest will be held in Centennial Olympic Park, a free celebration that will enable both fans and soccer curious Atlantans to participate in the energy from the matches downtown. 

Atlanta Stadium: Built for This

According to Dietmar Exler, the former Mercedes-Benz USA CEO who moved over to chief operating officer of the stadium branded with the auto maker’s name, it was built to host global events like this. 

But it has also had a lot of recent practice, intentionally scheduling international friendlies and other matches as a progressive dry run for the world’s largest sporting event. 

“We went on a journey of very conscious decisions a few years ago, starting out right from the get-go hosting international soccer matches,” Mr. Exler said. 

The opener for the 2024 Copa America, with Argentina facing off against Canada, brought in 70,000 spectators, many of them camping out to get a glimpse of futbol legend Lionel Messi.  

The U.S. men’s team will play both Belgium and Portugal and separate friendlies in Atlanta in the run-up to the World Cup. 

Much of the stadium’s work has been focused in two directions: preparing the natural grass playing surface with input from previous matches and Ph.D. horticulturists, and complying with FIFA rules by covering up all the Mercedes-Benz logos, including the giant one built into the stadium’s roof, a complex structure that opens like a camera aperture. (It will remain closed during the matches held in the hot Atlanta summer).

The stadium, Mr. Exler said, is a symbol of Atlanta’s transformation from “a white spot on the soccer map” just a decade ago to a globally recognized hub for the sport, which will play host to a professional women’s team starting in 2028. 

Immigration Concerns

With international journalists on the call, a major concern voiced was whether or not travelers would even be able to travel to Atlanta after all to support their teams. 

Along with entry bans and visa bonds imposed on multiple countries, especially from Africa, President Trump last week ceased immigrant visa processing at U.S. embassies in 75 countries including soccer nations like Brazil, leading to some confusion. But on Wednesday, the State Department began rolling out the FIFA Pass to fast-track visas for foreign World Cup ticket holders.

Whatever happens at the federal level, Mr. Corso said Atlanta’s track record as a hospitable international city is well-established, noting that the city is ready to host anyone who does visit. 

“Atlanta, as you know, is the birth place for the civil rights movement. It’s part of our history. It’s part of our DNA. We were able to show that 30 years ago with the Olympic Games. We’re going to show that again with the World Cup.”

Asked whether Spain’s matches would be in danger of failing to sell out matches against Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia, either by due to lack of interest or visa concerns, Mr. Exler waived off any concerns, saying that Atlanta has its own built-in base of soccer fans. 

The expanded World Cup, with 48 teams rather than 32, may produce some lopsided matches, but it also provides the opportunity to host a “true sports festival.” 

“it’s just going to be an awesome opportunity to bring people together and give them a good time is our number one objective. I’m 100 percent sure the games will be sold out,” he said. 

Mr. Exler said Atlanta was also excited bout the opportunity to host  matches from both Spain and Morocco, which will jointly host the cup in 2028, along with Saudi Arabia, which will host the world championships in 2034. 

International Matches hosted at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (info from the stadium):

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025: MBS hosted five matches to a resounding success with some of the biggest club teams in the world such as
Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris St. Germain, Bayern Munich and Dortmund.

COPA AMÉRICA 2024: Opening match and marquee group-stage game featuring National Teams from: Argentina, USA, Canada and Panama.

PREMIER LEAGUE SUMMER SERIES (2023 AND 2025): Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham, Everton, Brighton, Brentford
and Bournemouth – combining for nearly 120,000 fans in the two days.

MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM MATCHES: Multiple appearances with crowds regularly exceeding 60,000+

NUMEROUS MLS VS. INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION MATCHES: With Atlanta United participation

SHE BELIEVES CUP (2024): with Women’s National Team’s from the USA, Japan, Brazil and Canada set an USA women’s friendly attendance
record with over 50,000 fans

NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES