
It might be two years away still, but the City of Atlanta is so excited to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup! Known as a ‘Blossoming Football City,’ Atlanta is one of 11 cities in the U.S. slated to host games during the World Cup. And not only are we hosting matches, we’re hosting one of the semi-finals.
And even cooler news? FIFA just announced their preliminary match schedule, so now we know what to expect! Keep scrolling to get answers for all your burning FIFA World Cup questions!
When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup begin?
Kickoff (pun-intended) for the World Cup is on Thursday, June 11th, 2026.
Which city is hosting the first match of the 2026 World Cup?
Mexico City, Mexico will host the tournament’s opening match at their Estadio Azteca!
Which city is hosting the FIFA 2026 World Cup Final?
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the FIFA Final on Sunday, 19 July 2026. This will be the winner of match 101 vs the winner of match 102!
When will the 2026 World Cup matches be at Mercedes-Benz?
- Monday, June 15th, 2026 – Match 14, Group H
- Thursday, June 18th, 2026 – Match 25, Group A
- Sunday, June 21st, 2026 – Match 38, Group H
- Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 – Match 50, Group C
- Saturday, June 27th, 2026 – Match 72, Group K
- Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 – Match 80, Group L winners v Group E/H/I/J/K third place
- Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 – Winner match 86 vs. Winner match 88
- Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 – Winner match 99 vs Winner match 100 (SEMI FINALS)
Here’s the full schedule:
And if you can’t go to the game in person at Mercedes Benz, don’t worry! You can still watch with all your friends at one of Atlanta’s amazing sports bars that will no doubt have the matches on!
Learn more about the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on their website here!