Uzbekistan’s national soccer team is moving into metro Atlanta for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, setting up shop at Atlanta United’s Marietta training complex. The White Wolves, who are making their World Cup debut, are scheduled to arrive on June 10 and will use the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground as their official Team Base Camp while they gear up for group play. For local fans and club staff, it is a rare chance to watch a full international squad train practically around the corner and to see global talent working on familiar fields.
In a club release, Atlanta United confirmed the agreement and noted that the camp will take advantage of the training ground’s recent expansion, which opened in September 2025. The club said the arrangement is expected to cause only minor changes to first-team operations and that the site could also function as a venue specific training location if knockout matches land in Atlanta. According to the release, Uzbekistan will occupy much of the Marietta campus throughout the group stage, with more details on media access to come.
Group Schedule And Atlanta Date
FIFA’s official match schedule slots Uzbekistan into Group K and lists the White Wolves’ final group game, DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan, at Atlanta Stadium on June 27. The draw pairs Uzbekistan with Portugal and Colombia, sending the team first to Mexico City and then to Houston before it returns to Atlanta for that last group fixture, according to FIFA. That Atlanta clash will be played at the city’s designated World Cup venue.
A World Cup Winner On The Touchline
On the sideline, Uzbekistan will have some serious star power. Italy’s 2006 World Cup captain Fabio Cannavaro, appointed as Uzbekistan’s head coach in October 2025, will lead the squad at the tournament. The federation’s announcement of his hiring was covered by international outlets including ANSA, a high profile move that puts extra global attention on the team’s temporary home in Marietta.
The Marietta Complex That Sealed The Deal
Atlanta United’s training campus in Marietta covers roughly 33 acres and includes six full length fields, multiple locker rooms, gyms and digital content studios. Those amenities were a focal point of a roughly $25 million expansion that opened last fall. In its release, the club argues that the upgraded setup lets national teams train in privacy while Atlanta United’s academy and first team programs keep running at full speed. The scale of the facility and the fresh investment helped the site secure a coveted Team Base Camp slot in FIFA’s tournament planning.
What It Means For Atlanta
Atlanta is set to host eight World Cup matches, including a semifinal, with Mercedes Benz Stadium serving as the city’s main tournament venue, according to the stadium’s schedule. Mercedes-Benz Stadium and local agencies have been coordinating transport, security and fan zone plans, while local coverage has outlined festival style events such as the fan site at Centennial Olympic Park. One recent report on the fan frenzy set to swamp Centennial Olympic Park detailed how those activations will roll out on the ground.
For now, Uzbekistan’s choice of Marietta as its base gives Atlanta a front row seat to the World Cup build up, long before the first whistle sounds. Organizers say more information on training sessions and media access will be released as June approaches. The arrival of a full international squad and a World Cup winning coach underlines just how much of the global tournament will be staged, and seen, in the Atlanta region this summer.
