With the FIFA World Cup 2026 just weeks away, the global spotlight is beginning to shift toward Atlanta — and now Atlanta United’s training facility is officially part of that stage.
The Atlanta United Training Center in Marietta is set to serve as the official base camp for the Uzbekistan National Team ahead of the country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance. Managed by World Cup winner and Ballon d’Or recipient Fabio Cannavaro, Uzbekistan is scheduled to arrive in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 10 as preparations ramp up for the tournament.
For Atlanta United, it’s another major moment that highlights just how far the organization’s infrastructure has grown since entering MLS.
The facility will lean heavily on its recent $25 million expansion that officially opened in September 2025. Even with an international team operating out of the complex during the World Cup, Atlanta United expects minimal disruption to First Team operations when the club resumes play June 16 following the break.
And honestly, this is exactly the type of moment the club envisioned when investing heavily into the Marietta campus.
“Our goal has always been to build a world-class training ground that can support the highest levels of the game,” said Dimitrios Efstathiou, Atlanta United’s Senior Vice President of Strategy. “Welcoming Uzbekistan for the FIFA World Cup is a strong validation of that vision.”
The numbers behind the facility are impressive.
Originally opened in 2017, the 33-acre campus now features more than 500,000 square feet of playing surface spread across six full-length fields, along with two gyms, five locker rooms, three digital content studios, and more than 50,000 square feet of office space. The total investment in the training center now exceeds $90 million.
That investment is paying off at exactly the right time.
Atlanta is already preparing to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, including five group stage matches and three knockout round matches, highlighted by a semifinal scheduled for July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Uzbekistan will play one of its group stage matches in Atlanta when it faces DR Congo on June 27.
Beyond serving as Uzbekistan’s headquarters during the group stage, the facility will also be available as a Venue Specific Training Site for teams advancing into the knockout rounds in Atlanta.
The significance here goes beyond soccer.
For years, Atlanta has pushed to position itself as one of the premier global sports cities in the world. Between Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the city’s major-event infrastructure, and now training facilities capable of hosting World Cup nations, Atlanta continues proving it belongs on the international stage.
And for Atlanta United specifically, this is another reminder of how much the organization has grown beyond just an MLS club.
Before the World Cup break officially begins, Atlanta United will close out the first half of its MLS season on the road against the Columbus Crew on Sunday, May 24.
