Argentina, U.S. to play in Atlanta

Copa America matches to include each team facing off against an opponent from its group.

Argentina and the U.S. men’s national team will be in Atlanta for two of the matches in next year’s Copa America tournament, the championship for South America’s men’s national teams.

Mercedes-benz Stadium will host the opening match June 20, featuring Argentina, the defending World Cup champion and likely featuring Lionel Messi, against a team to be determined.

Atlanta’s second game is scheduled to be played on June 27 and will include the U.S. men’s team against an opponent to be determined, according to information released Monday by CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body for soccer. Grass will be put down in Mercedes-benz Stadium for the matches. The 16-team tournament is scheduled to be played June 20 through July 14, with the championship in Miami.

These will be the most important international soccer matches ever played in Atlanta and will be a prelude to the city and stadium hosting at least one match, likely more, in the 2026 World Cup. That schedule has yet to be released.

The U.S. national team has played in Atlanta once since 1977. That match was part of the Gold Cup and was played at the Georgia Dome in 2015. The previous match was against China at Fulton County Stadium.

The tournament groups are scheduled to be drawn Thursday in Miami. There will be four pots from which teams will be drawn into groups. Several teams already been placed: Argentina in Group A, the U.S. in Group C, Mexico in Group B and Brazil is in Group D.

Argentina will play the fourth team from Group A in the opener. The U.S., which should feature Christian Pulisic and Weston Mckinnie, will play the third team in Group C.

The 48th edition of the tournament will include 10 teams from South America and six from CONCACAF, including the United States. Argentina is the defending champ. It will be the second time the tournament has been held in the U.S. The last time was 2016.

One semifinal is scheduled to be played July 9 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the other July 10 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Quarterfinals are scheduled to be played in Houston; Arlington, Texas; Las Vegas; and Glendale, Arizona.

BRUNA PRADO/AP Forward Lionel Messi (right), who led Argentina to the World Cup championship in 2022, is expected to play for the national team when it competes in the Copa America tournament beginning June 20. Argentina will play at least one game in Atlanta.