FIFA announced the official schedule for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 on Saturday, with Atlanta to host six matches next summer.
All of the matches will be held at Mercedes Benz Stadium, home of Atlanta United FC and the Atlanta Falcons.
The event, which will be held from June 15 to July 13, will bring together the best clubs across six federations worldwide. FIFA calls its Club World Cup “the largest stand-alone global club football event ever staged.”
“Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium were made to host the world’s biggest events. We are eager to again bring our innovative venue, unique fan experience, and southern hospitality to a global stage,” said Dietmar Exler, chief operating officer of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in a Saturday press release.
The inaugural Atlanta match will be held on June 16 between West London-based Chelsea Football Club and the Mexican professional team Club León. Three days later, Inter Miami will play Portuguese club FC Porto.
On June 22, England’s Manchester City F.C. will go against the United Arab Emirates-based Al Ain FC. The week after, from June 29 to July 1, the round of 16 matches — or pre-quarterfinal matches — will be held.
Finally, the quarterfinals for the tournament will be held on July 5, with the winner going on to the semifinals at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 8.
The summer tournament is not the first time FIFA has placed a spotlight on the city of Atlanta. In 2022, it was announced that Atlanta would be a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“We are honored that FIFA has once again placed its trust in Atlanta and invited us to be a part of this new era for the FIFA Club World Cup,” said Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta World Cup Host Committee President Dan Corso in the release. “We are thrilled for our region to showcase its love of the sport and cement itself as an international soccer hub.”
Other high-profile sporting events scheduled to occur in Atlanta within the next couple of years include the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in January 2025, the MLB All-Star Game in July 2025 and Superbowl LXII in 2028.
