The Scenic City will host the world’s top-ranked national men’s soccer team this summer, with Spain having officially selected Chattanooga as its headquarters for the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Thursday’s announcement confirmed an expected decision, with the Times Free Press noting earlier this month that Sports Illustrated Mexico had reported Chattanooga would be top-seeded Spain’s base camp.
Spain, which returned to the top of the FIFA rankings last September for the first time since 2014, is seeking a second World Cup title to go with its championship from the 2010 edition of the quadrennial tournament, which took place in South Africa. Players, coaches and staff for Spain — nicknamed “La Roja” for its red jerseys — will stay at Embassy Suites by Hilton Chattanooga Downtown and practice at Baylor School.
The World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, kicks off June 11 and closes with the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Last summer, Chattanooga and Baylor hosted New Zealand’s Auckland City FC during the Club World Cup.
(SIGN UP: Get the daily sports newsletter in your email box by clicking here)
“For Chattanooga to host a World Cup team is a huge honor,” Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly told the Times Free Press in a phone interview Thursday. “For that team to be Spain is even bigger, with them being the top seed in the tournament.
“This is proof that Chattanooga has arrived as an internationally recognized soccer city. As mayor, I could not be more proud.”
The reigning European champions are led by head coach Luis de la Fuente and have a star-filled roster that includes 18-year-old forward Lamine Yamal and 23-year-old midfielder Pedri.
AP file photo by Manu Fernandez / Spain forward Lamine Yamal, 18, is among the young stars for the world’s top-ranked men’s soccer team. Chattanooga and Baylor School will host Spain during the FIFA World Cup this summer.Spain’s first two World Cup matches are within driving distance of Chattanooga at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, against Cape Verde on June 15 and Saudi Arabia on June 21. La Roja’s final match in Group H is against Uruguay on June 27 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
This will be the first World Cup with 48 teams — 16 more than the most recent World Cup in Qatar in 2022 — and 32 of them will advance to the knockout phase: the top two finishers in each of the 12 groups, and the eight third-place group finishers with the most points.
Soccer’s popularity in Chattanooga is demonstrated by being one of only three U.S. cities with two professional men’s soccer teams in the same league level: the Chattanooga Football Club, which played its first season in 2009 and currently competes in MLS Next Pro, and the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, which played its first season in 2018 and competes in USL League One.
“Hosting Spain of all teams is truly incredible,” local soccer fan Jaxon McClure said. “They are the favorites to win the World Cup. You can already feel the magnitude of it. This is a major honor for our community. My son already has talked about wanting to sit outside the campus just to see the team bus drive by for a chance to catch a glimpse of his favorite players.
“We are excited for Spain to experience the hospitality, passion and support Chattanooga has for the game of soccer.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.