Atlanta’s status for U.S. and international soccer continues to rise
U.S. Soccer announced today that Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will play host to the opening two matches of the ninth annual SheBelieves Cup, marking another huge moment for the pitch that’ll also see matches for Copa America and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The initial match will be played at 12:30 on April 6 and will field the USWNT versus one of the three to-be-announced opponents – all of which will be teams that competed in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The second match will take place at 3:30, and both matches will be played on natural grass added for the event.
This edition of the SheBelieves Cup will be slightly altered due to the Concacaf W Gold Cup in February and March, so instead of six matches, there will be four. The April 9th final and third-place match will be held at a separate venue, and the competition will return to its typical 6-game format in 2025.
“These are the first U.S. Soccer-controlled matches of the Olympic year for our Women’s National Team and we’re looking forward to a big turnout at one of the best stadiums in the world,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “We’re also excited to play our first match in the Atlanta area since we announced the site of our new National Training Center. From my time playing there for the Atlanta Beat, I know what the support for soccer and for our National Teams in the southeast is like and these opening games of the SheBelieves Cup in Atlanta will be a perfect way to launch our spring run to the Olympics next summer.”
U.S. Soccer will install the grass at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the prestigious home of Atlanta United (and the Falcons) and the opening match will be the USWNT’s first match at a U.S. venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup since the host stadiums were finalized in June of 2022.
The initial SheBelieves Cup was played in 2016, with the U.S. winning the first year. France won in 2017 before the U.S. took the title again, and England subsequently won the 2019 edition. The USWNT has won the last four since 2020.
For those interested in tickets, presales for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches in Atlanta will begin on Friday, December 15 and conclude on Monday, December 25 at 10 a.m. ET. Per U.S. Soccer, for the opportunity to buy tickets before the general public, fans should consider becoming U.S. Soccer Insiders. Tickets purchased will be valid for both matches that matchday, and public sales will be mid-January.
Be sure to let us know your thoughts about another set of U.S. matches scheduled for the beloved Benz below!