Sources: Atlanta to Host USMNT's Match With Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal

Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the venue for a March friendly match between the United States men's national team and Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal, according to multiple sources.

The U.S. Soccer Federation is also trying to finalize an exhibition with Belgium during the same international window, sources said, with Atlanta potentially also the site for that exhibition. The Washington, D.C.-area is among others in contention for that friendly match, per the same sources. FIFA’s two-match March window is the last before participating World Cup teams are required to submit their final 26-player rosters for the tournament.

The Athletic was the first to report Belgium and Portugal as the Americans’ potential March opponents.

The Portugal match in Atlanta could coincide with the opening of U.S. Soccer’s new $200 million-plus training facility in nearby Fayetteville, which is scheduled to open its doors this spring. The USMNT will train at the sprawling, 200-acre, state-of-the-art complex in May and early June before leaving for its World Cup base camp in Southern California. The Americans kick off their three-game group stage slate on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against an opponent to be determined at December’s draw.

Known as "The Benz," the 71,000-seat arena serves as home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer. Both teams are owned by billionaire Home Depot founder Arthur Blank, who contributed $50 million toward the USSF training ground that bears his name. Blank’s company also operates the $2 billion retractable roof stadium, which opened in 2017. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host eight matches at the 2026 World Cup. Only AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will have more.