World Cup Atlanta: Team USA vs. Türkiye, day added to fan fest

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ATLANTA - Atlanta's FIFA Fan Festival is opening for an additional day Thursday as thousands of fans are expected to gather at Centennial Olympic Park to watch Team USA take on Türkiye in its final group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup.

Curacao faces Ivory Coast at 4 p.m. on FS1, while Ecuador takes on Germany at 7 p.m. on FOX 5. Also at 7 p.m., Japan plays Sweden on FOX 5 and Tunisia faces the Netherlands on FS1. At 10 p.m., all eyes turn to Team USA's final group-stage match against Türkiye, airing on FOX 5, while Paraguay takes on Australia on FS1.

What we know:

The extra day was added after the Fan Festival drew nearly 275,000 visitors over the past several weeks, with fans from around the world visiting the downtown attraction.

The Fan Festival will be open from 6 p.m. until midnight. While free general admission tickets have sold out, organizers said General Admission Plus and VIP tickets are still available.

Team USA looks to stay unbeaten

Team USA enters Thursday night's match with momentum after victories over Paraguay and Australia. The Americans have already secured a spot in the knockout round, but a win over Turkey would allow them to advance with a perfect record in group play.

What they're saying:

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he expects a difficult match despite Türkiye entering the game without a win.

"I have no doubt that the Turkish team is going to be competitive," Pochettino said. "They have good players. I think it's going to be a tough game."

Players also said the team is focused on building momentum before the knockout stage begins.

Dig deeper:

While Team USA has already secured a spot in the Round of 32 and locked up first place in Group D, players and coaches say there is still plenty to play for Thursday night.

A victory over Türkiye would give the Americans a perfect 3-0 record in group play and carry momentum into the knockout rounds. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to rotate his lineup, resting several regular starters — including players carrying yellow cards who could be suspended with another booking — while giving reserves an opportunity to gain valuable World Cup experience, according to FOX Sports.

Christian Pulisic, who has been recovering from a calf injury, could return in a limited role after saying he is available but unlikely to play a full 90 minutes.

Although Türkiye has already been eliminated after back-to-back losses, the team created numerous scoring chances in its first two matches and Pochettino expects a difficult, highly motivated opponent looking to end its World Cup run with a win.

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