Atlanta, GA

First time watching soccer? Here’s what to know before World Cup in ATL

Published

1 week ago

June 9, 2026

First time watching soccer? Here’s what to know before World Cup in ATL

The eyes of the world will be on the United States, Canada and Mexico as the three countries are just days away from hosting the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

While soccer has billions of fans worldwide, there are plenty of Americans (and others) who may be turning the sport on the for the very first time.

Worried about keeping up with the matches this summer? Here’s what to know about World Cup matches as the tournament begins.

How long is a World Cup match?

Matches are scheduled for 90 minutes, a typical regulation length. However, just like in professional matches, referees can add “stoppage time” to the end of each half to account for the amount of time play was stopped for substitutions, goals, injuries and other interference.

The match is played in two, 45-minute halves with a 15 minute halftime. Typical matches last around 100 minutes once additional time is added.

However, during the knock-out stage of the tournament (after the group stages), if there is a tie at the end of regulation and additional stoppage time, then the match will go to “extra time,” similar overtime in American football.

An additional 30 minutes is put on the clock in two, 15-minute halves. If it is still tied after extra time, then the match goes to a penalty shootout, which means each team will send a player to try and score on the goalie one-on-one. This can add an additional 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how many shootout rounds there are to finally declare a winner.

How many players are on the field?

There are 22 players on the field at any given time, 11 from each team. This includes 10 outfielders and one goalie on either side of the field.

Each team will typically keep 26 players on their roster because coaches are able to make substitutions throughout the game. A player may get injured, tired or a coach may just want to switch up strategy and replaces one player on the field with one from the bench. Each team is allowed five substitutions per match, plus an extra substitution if the match goes into extra time.

What are common penalties? What is a penalty kick?

Like any sport, soccer has a set of rules that help the game keep moving and prevent players from interfering with the ball. Soccer players are unable to touch the ball with their hands or arms, and if they do it earns them a handball penalty.

Other common soccer penalties include tripping, kicking, holding or pulling jerseys, pushing or charging players, and dangerous plays like high kicks or kicking near another player’s head.

If a player is hit with a penalty, the other team will get a penalty kick. This means the ball will be placed at a specific spot, depending on the penalty, and the non-penalty team will get to kick the ball off again to a teammate, typically close to the goal.

What are yellow and red cards?

Some penalties are worse than others, and they can earn yellow or red cards for players.

For more severe penalties, or “reckless fouls,” players will be issued a yellow card. This includes deliberately wasting time, persistently breaking rules, trying to trick the referees or unsportsmanlike behavior. Warnings to players are typically issued before a yellow card is called. If a player receives two yellow cards in a match, it leads to a red card.

A red card issued to a player means they are ejected from the match and can not come back. It also means another player cannot join the field in their place, so a match could become 11-on-10. In extreme cases, like intentionally punching another player, a referee can go straight to a red card and eject a player from the match.

How many teams are playing in the World Cup?

For the first time, the World Cup tournament has been expanded to 48 teams from around the world.

These teams are divided into 12 groups of four teams for the group stage matches. These matches are not elimination rounds, and teams will play in multiple matches during this stage against the other teams in their groups.

The United States, for example, is in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. The team plays their first match on June 12 against Paraguay. No matter the outcome of that match, the United States will play again on June 19 against Australia. The U.S. team plays Turkey on June 25 to round out the group stage.

Then, from the results of the group stage, 32 teams will make it to the elimination rounds. The winners of those matches will play in the round of 16. There will then be four quarterfinal matches, two semifinal matches and a match for third place, and one World Cup Final played on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.

In total, there will be 104 matches played between June 11 and July 19 across three countries.

When are the World Cup matches in Atlanta?

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Stadium) will host five group stage matches, a round of 32 match, a round of 16 match and one of the tournament’s semifinal match.

Monday, June 15 — Spain vs Cabo Verde, Group H – Shop tickets
Thursday, June 18 — South Africa vs Czechia, Group A – Shop tickets
Sunday, June 21 — Spain vs Saudi Arabia, Group H – Shop tickets
Wednesday, June 24 — Morocco vs Haiti – Shop tickets
Saturday, June 27 — Uzbekistan vs Congo, Group K – Shop tickets
Wednesday, July 1 — Group L winners vs third place from Group E/H/I/J/K – Shop tickets
Tuesday, July 7 — Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners – Shop tickets
Wednesday, July 15 — tournament semifinal, teams TBD – Shop tickets

The World Cup is over. Does Atlanta have a professional soccer team?

The end of the World Cup does not mean you have to turn off professional-level soccer in Atlanta.

Atlanta United, the city’s MLS team, paused their season with the rest of the league for the World Cup, but will pick back up again.

The MLS season resumes July 16 and 17, and the All-Star Game will be played on July 29. The end of the regular season is Nov. 7, with an international break, then playoffs will begin for the MLS Cup Final.

Irene Wright covers the FIFA World Cup as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

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Atlanta, GA

18 essential Atlanta restaurants, from neighborhood gems to MICHELIN-starred destinations

Published

6 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

18 essential Atlanta restaurants, from neighborhood gems to MICHELIN-starred destinations

Heirloom Market

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

Atlanta’s dining scene has long been a force, but in recent years, its flavors have only grown more powerful. Chefs from around the world have brought global recipes here, while local talent continues to prove that Southern cooking is far more than just fried chicken (though you’ll find plenty of that, too). Eight Atlanta restaurants have MICHELIN stars, with many more recognized with distinctions and Bib Gourmand nods. Whether you’re craving soul food, steaks, or spiced curry, here are 18 spots worth seeking out.

dishes from Sweet Auburn BBQ — Sweet Auburn BBQ

Global Meets Southern

In Atlanta, international flavors mingle with Southern traditions, giving rise to inventive fusion cuisines. Sweet Auburn BBQ in Poncey-Highland is proof of this: Siblings Anita and Howard Hsu combine their Chinese heritage with their Atlanta roots in dishes like pimento cheese wontons and char siu–style smoked ribs. At Smyrna’s Heirloom Market, housemade kimchi and macaroni and cheese accompany meats like smoked brisket and Korean spicy pork. At Talat Market in Summerhill, “fusion” speaks less to the dishes than to the sense of place. The restaurant calls itself “Georgian Thai,” a nod to its use of regional produce in deeply rooted Thai dishes like crispy rice salad with seasonal greens sourced from Georgia farms (Woodland Gardens, Hickory Hill) and pork from nearby Riverview Farms.

Buford Highway Hits

Atlanta’s 36-mile stretch of road known as Buford Highway is home to the city’s most dynamic international dining. Along the street’s Brookhaven section, Vietnamese mainstay Lee’s Bakery is well-known for its bánh mì prepared with from-scratch rolls. At Yet Tuh, hidden in the back of a Doraville office park, Korean favorites like kimchi pancakes and bibimbap are served in a homey setting. Also on a Doraville section of Buford Highway, Filipino flavors delight at Kamayan ATL, where veggie lumpia and sizzling sisig deliver bold spices; cool off with the fruit-filled halo-halo.

dishes from Mary Mac’s Tea Room — Mary Mac’s Tea Room

two employees from Mary Mac’s Tea Room — Mary Mac’s Tea Room

A Taste of History

Peer into the past at Atlanta’s landmark restaurants. At Paschal’s in Castleberry Hill, Civil Rights leaders (including John Lewis and Andrew Young) gathered over fried chicken, while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized the movement over soul-food dishes like macaroni and cheese and ham hocks at Vine City’s Busy Bee Cafe. Mary Mac’s Tea Room, open in Midtown since 1945, serves up classic Southern hospitality and sweet tea in six bustling dining rooms. Also in Midtown, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, The Varsity, has boisterously asked customers “What’ll ya have?” since 1928 (a chili dog, of course).

a hand holding a woven basket — The Chastain

an empanada from La Semilla — La Semilla

Locally Inspired

Long growing seasons and a favorable climate yield a bounty of local produce that inspires area chefs to new levels of creativity. The Chastain in Buckhead grows herbs and vegetables in its on-site garden, visible from the farmhouse-style dining room, showcasing them in drinks, dishes, and a garden tasting menu. At West Midtown’s Miller Union, James Beard Award–winner Steven Satterfield has made the seasonal vegetable plate a must-order (The New York Times says it’s the dish that showcases the restaurant’s “full effect.”) In Reynoldstown, chef Reid Trapani partners with local growers to create Latin American–inspired vegan dishes at La Semilla, often featuring peak-season fruit desserts, like apple empanadas in fall or strawberry tres leches in spring.

Upscale Fare

MICHELIN began awarding stars to Atlanta restaurants in 2023, signaling to the world the strength of the city’s dining scene. Recipients include Lazy Betty, where chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Philips craft a seasonally driven tasting menu in a cosmopolitan Midtown setting. Buckhead’s Atlas, also a MICHELIN star winner, surrounds diners with high art (Picasso, Chagall) while chef Freddy Money delivers equally artful dishes (don’t skip the lavish cheese cart or the water-garnish service). In West Midtown, Chef J. Trent Harris of MICHELIN-starred Mujō prepares world-class omakase meals featuring traditional Edomae-style nigiri with fish flown in from Japan. A hip-hop soundtrack keeps the mood upbeat in the dark intimacy of the blackbox setting.

greenery decor at Lazy Betty — Lazy Betty

pastries from Little Tart Bakeshop — Little Tart Bakeshop

Neighborhood Gems

Atlanta is a patchwork of pocket neighborhoods, each with its own personality reflected in its restaurants. In East Lake, Pure Quill Superette is located in a former tire shop, encapsulating the neighborhood’s historic yet gritty charm. Inside, the team prepares elevated comfort food like fried cod sandwiches, tofu rice bowls, and squash hoecakes served with housemade preserves. In Old Fourth Ward, Staplehouse reflects the neighborhood’s evolution, where creative types gather in a former boardinghouse that speaks to the area’s layered past. Dishes are simple—sourdough pizza, salads, and an Italian grinder among them—but prepared with precision. The Little Tart Bakeshop matches Grant Park’s blend of charm and community with its plant-filled decor and buttery, flaky croissants and galettes filled with seasonal fruit, plus a full coffee program that keeps the neighborhood humming.

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Atlanta, GA

Staycations Are Trending: Atlanta Events Worth Staying Home For In June

Published

16 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Staycations Are Trending: Atlanta Events Worth Staying Home For In June

Travel trends nationwide suggest more people are staying close to home this year due to higher oil and gas prices. Some 71 percent of Americans plan road trips for summer vacations, according to Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report.

Another study, by Bank of America, found consumers are responding to higher gas prices by taking fewer trips, reducing travel budgets, cutting back on accommodations, or choosing destinations closer to home.

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