The FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal has taken place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta delivered its biggest match in the city’s soccer history. Argentina beat England 2-1 and went on to the final in New Jersey.
Atlanta hosts a FIFA World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, at 3 p.m. ET, the date and time for Match 102 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, sometimes listed on FIFA ticketing pages simply as Atlanta Stadium. Soccer, called football almost everywhere outside the United States, brought World Cup matches to sixteen cities across three countries this summer. That puts Atlanta among the last stops on the road to the July 19 final.
| Match 102 at a Glance | |
| Match | Match 102, Semifinal |
| Date | Wednesday, July 15, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| Capacity | Roughly 75,000 (World Cup configuration) |
| Matchup | England vs Argentina |
| Teams set | Confirmed Jully 11, four days out from kickoff |
England and Argentina are headed to the semi-final in Atlanta after England beat Norway 2-1 and Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 in the July 9-11 quarterfinals. The semifinal kicks off July 15 at 3 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, capping a four-day turnaround for both squads. With the matchup confirmed, fans now have a few days to secure seats and lodging near the stadium.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium holds eight matches across the 2026 FIFA World Cup, more than any other Atlanta venue in the city’s sports history. Five belong to the group stage, one to the Round of 32, one to the Round of 16, and one to the semifinal. That’s Atlanta’s full World Cup schedule, and fans asking how many FIFA games the city gets this summer now have the answer. The semifinal closes out that run, and it does so on the biggest match of the eight.
Capacity here ranks third among the eight U.S. venues in this tournament, behind the other semifinal site and the site of the final. Parking near the venue is limited on a normal day, and a semifinal narrows the available lots even further. Official lots typically run in the $40 to $60 range, with prices climbing near kickoff and rising further for spots closest to the gates. Reserving a spot in advance, rather than counting on same-day availability, tends to separate a smooth arrival from a long walk from overflow lots.
Semifinal crowds bring tighter security than group-stage matches did. A few details worth knowing going into kickoff:
Only two U.S. cities host a World Cup semifinal this year, and Atlanta is one of them. Local fans who already watched the earlier rounds now get the biggest match of the tournament’s American leg. England and Argentina meet in Atlanta on July 15, and their place in this World Cup is already settled. The winner of Match 102 advances to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the July 19 final. The loser heads to a third-place match on July 18. July 15 marks the last World Cup date on Atlanta’s calendar until 2030.
