In preparation for welcoming the world this summer, Atlanta got a chance to practice playing host. 

The city's way of warming up came in the form two friendly matches as the United States Men's National Team faced two top 15 ranked opponents at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The U.S. took on Belgium Saturday, March 28 and Portugal Tuesday, March 31, two huge fixtures for learning and development ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Players competed for World Cup roster spots, coaches tweaked tactics, and fans got to witness a sneak peak of what's to come when the tournament comes to Atlanta this summer. Nearly 140,000 fans attended the two matches in total, bringing soul to the stadium and energy that will have the city reverberating until the World Cup begins in June.

"Atlanta is a great city for us to play in," USMNT defender Auston Trusty said Tuesday night. "To play here, to play in this atmosphere, it's really good. To see the Red, White and Blue, even the National Anthem, you just get hyped."

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