Chattanooga to Host Spain During the Group Stage of the World Cup

Chattanooga, located in the US state of Tennessee, has been chosen as the Spanish national team’s base for the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The city, the county seat of Hamilton County, has a population of around 190,000 and sits on the banks of the Tennessee River, beneath the iconic Lookout Mountain.

Luis de la Fuente’s squad will stay at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Chattanooga Downtown, while training sessions will take place at the facilities of Baylor School. Renowned as one of the top high-performance sports centres in the United States, the complex is fully equipped to meet the demands of the reigning European champions and current FIFA world number one. The venue also has previous experience hosting elite football teams, having served as a training base for Auckland City FC during a past FIFA Club World Cup.

Spain will play their first two World Cup matches in Atlanta, facing Cape Verde on 15 June and Saudi Arabia on 21 June. The group stage will conclude on 27 June against Uruguay in Guadalajara, Mexico. Should Spain progress to the knockout rounds, their subsequent venues will depend on their final position in Group H, as determined by the draw held in Washington under FIFA regulations.

Chattanooga, which will be Spain’s home for the opening weeks of the tournament, is also known worldwide thanks to the 1941 song “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, composed by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon and popularised by the Glenn Miller Orchestra — the first song in history to be awarded a gold record.