Chattanooga has earned the right to bask in the prideful afterglow as the host to the 2026 FIFA World Cup champions.
From June 5 through June 30, before advancing from the group stage to the knockout rounds of the tournament, the Scenic City served as the home for the 80-member Spanish national team. And Chattanooga’s hospitality helped propel La Roja to claim the country’s second title.
From having a dozen training sessions at the Baylor School to five-star treatment by the hotel staff at the Embassy Suites downtown, some of the world’s biggest soccer stars will never forget their time in a city that was previously most widely known for being the home of the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Local businesses also loved having their names attached to players such as Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella and Nico Williams, among many other players who enjoyed what Chattanooga had to offer.
Some of Spain’s off-the-field adventures included visits to restaurants such as Mellow Mushroom, Calliope, Bridgeman’s Chophouse, Five Guys, Tremont Tavern, St. John’s and Riverdance, plus spontaneous trips to the Fort Oglethorpe Walmart, Lookout Valley Elementary soccer fields, Rocket Fizz, Classic Arcade Pinball Museum, along with golf outings to Moccasin Bend, Council Fire, Lookout Mountain and the McLemore course.