ROLLING OUT — The tournament is the largest in World Cup history, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 four-team groups. Thirty-two teams will advance to the knockout stage, with the top two finishers from each group joined by the eight best third-place teams. The final will be played July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
By Gesi Lloyd
(Source: Rolling Out)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins June 11 and runs through July 19 across host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Atlanta serving as one of 11 American venues. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host eight matches, opening with Spain against Cabo Verde on June 15 and closing with a semifinal on July 15.
The tournament is the largest in World Cup history, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 four-team groups. Thirty-two teams will advance to the knockout stage, with the top two finishers from each group joined by the eight best third-place teams. The final will be played July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The format and the bracket
FIFA introduced a structural change for this edition designed to prevent the two highest-ranked teams from meeting before the final if both win their groups. Spain, ranked first in the tournament field, and defending champion Argentina, ranked second, were placed in separate brackets. France and England, ranked third and fourth, were similarly separated. The four top seeds could not meet until the semifinals.
Teams from the same confederation were kept apart in the group draw, with the exception of European nations, who are numerous enough that some share groups.
Atlanta matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
All Atlanta group stage matches begin at noon.
June 15: Spain vs. Cabo Verde June 18: Czechia vs. South Africa June 21: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia June 24: Morocco vs. Haiti June 27: DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan
Knockout round matches in Atlanta:
July 1: Round of 32, noon July 7: Round of 16, noon July 15: Semifinal, 3 p.m.
All matches in Atlanta air on Fox or FS1. The full schedule across all venues runs from June 11 through July 19, with the United States opening its group stage against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
How to watch
All World Cup matches in the United States air on Fox or FS1. Streaming is available through the Fox Sports app and platforms that carry Fox, including Fubo, DirecTV, and Sling.
Getting to and around Mercedes-Benz Stadium
MARTA is the most practical option for matchdays. Three stations put fans close to the stadium: SEC District, Vine City, and Five Points, which is about a 10-minute walk. The blue and green lines serve all three. Single-ride fare is $2.50, and MARTA recently added a tap-to-pay system through phone wallets. The Breeze and Terminus apps are useful for tracking trains in real time.
Ride-share surge pricing is likely on matchdays. Fans staying near a MARTA station or within walking distance of the stadium will have the most flexibility.
Where to watch without a ticket
The FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park runs for 18 days beginning June 11 and is free with advance registration, limited to six tickets per person. The festival includes live music, food, and broadcast screenings of matches. Performers include Ludacris, Killer Mike, CeeLo Green, and Summer Walker. Upgraded ticket packages range from $45 to $325.
Decatur WatchFest runs for 34 days at Decatur Square, with free live music and match broadcasts at participating bars. Most shows require no ticket, though Big Boi on June 11, The War and Treaty on June 25, and Indigo Girls on July 19 are exceptions.
The Atlanta Beltline hosts a free two-day festival at Pittsburgh Yards on June 20 and 21, including a featured watch party for Spain vs. Saudi Arabia on June 21.
Among the most established watch party venues in the city, the Brewhouse Cafe in Little Five Points has been a fixture in Atlanta’s soccer community for close to 30 years. Fado Irish Pub in Midtown and Buckhead will broadcast every match. Cosm, a new 70,000-square-foot immersive venue in Centennial Yards, will show 40 World Cup matches including all U.S. Men’s National Team games.
Tickets
Single-game tickets through FIFA’s official site start at $650 and reach as high as $8,100 for Atlanta matches. Secondary market options are available through SeatGeek, StubHub, and SeatPick at varying prices. FIFA set aside $60 tickets for national federation supporter groups traveling to multiple cities, but those are allocated through official supporter club channels rather than general sale.
