Auckland City FC in Chattanooga for the Fifa Club World Cup: Top things to do and see

The Choo Choo in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

If you ask a Kiwi what they know about Chattanooga in Tennessee, the likely response will be a shrug, a stare - or both. But this southern US city has more things in common with Kiwis than one would expect.

Chattanooga, about a 25-hour flight (at least) from Auckland, is where Auckland City FC will call home until July 19, as they face some of the world’s best players in the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup (CWC). The tournament sees 32 club teams from around the world compete in matches across the USA.

Auckland City, while not gaining the same headlines as the new A-League team Auckland FC, are the only side from Oceania in this year’s CWC.

The city of Chattanooga, like the Auckland City team, is easily underestimated. That’s a mistake, according to its mayor.

“Chattanooga as a city and Auckland City FC as a team share an underdog identity and a fighting spirit,” says Tim Kelly.

The Read House Hotel, where Auckland FC players will be staying.

“Like Chattanooga, Auckland City FC have proven they can compete with – and beat – the big guys, inspiring the world by finishing third in the 2014 edition of this tournament.“

A quick scan through Google Images of Chattanooga reveals a beautiful blend of mountains, valleys and commercial districts snaking the Tennessee River. With a population of roughly 375,000, there’s space to move around in the way Kiwis are used to.

In April, Chattanooga was named a National Park City - becoming the world’s third such city after London and Adelaide.

“To put it in a nutshell ... instead of having parks in the city, we want to be a city in a park,” Barry White, chief executive and president of the Chattanooga Tourism Co, tells the Herald. “Nature is fantastic here.”

Chattanooga, on the Tennessee River, is known for its outdoorsy way of life, like New Zealand.

“We have beautiful mountains, hiking trails within 10 minutes of downtown. We have Olympic-quality whitewater rafting close by ... a lot of adventure sports that remind me a lot of New Zealand and some of the things that you all offer,” says White, who lived in New Zealand for three months several years ago.

He points out the abundance of outdoorsy attractions, such as underground waterfalls at Ruby Falls, paragliding or hang gliding from the Lookout Mountain Flight Park, and numerous hiking trails.

White is confident the Auckland City players will be happy with the historic Read House Hotel where they are staying. Built in 1872, the hotel has accommodated several celebrities, dignitaries and politicians, including Elvis Presley, Winston Churchill and Walt Disney.

“They’re going to enjoy it a lot.”

If the players want a quick getaway to a metropolis, they can do it. White says that Chattanooga is “big enough to have some great amenities, fortunate enough to have the natural assets and the recreation and outdoors and then some good entertainment, some great food.

“If we want a big city, we’re close by and can get there,” he adds, noting big cities such as Nashville and Atlanta are within a two-hour drive.

On food, it’s unlikely the players will be disappointed. The Michelin Guide recently announced that Tennessee will be included in its first regional guide, showcasing the best culinary spots in North America.

“It’s because they’ve seen our restaurants and our food scene really growing and we’re at the heart of that right here in Chattanooga,” White attests.

But what of the people? Every city likes to think of itself as friendly and welcoming. Chattanooga has the receipts. Last October, readers of Condé Nast Traveller voted Chattanooga the “friendliest city in the US”.

Help us welcome Auckland City Football Club from New Zealand as they arrive in Chattanooga tomorrow. They're one of the teams competing in this year's FIFA Club World Cup, and they're making Chattanooga their home base for training and R&R between their games. Let’s give them a true Chattanooga welcome. We share an underdog identity and a fighting spirit - so there’s no better match. From this moment on, we’re family.

Posted by City of Chattanooga - Government on Monday 9 June 2025

“One of the city’s greatest assets is its friendly population,” the magazine noted. “As you pass happy residents kayaking in Coolidge Park, hiking up Lookout Mountain ... you’ll be tempted to make a permanent relocation to this charming city in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.”

White, unsurprisingly, agrees. “We’re a very proud community, but we’re not boastful, [we’re] very friendly.

“From the nature to the hospitality and the welcoming part, I think that’s gonna carry us a long way, and hopefully the foundation may have a longer-term relationship.”

Auckland City FC’s upcoming matches in Group C

• June 15 in Cincinnati, Ohio, vs Bayern Munich (Germany)
• June 20 in Orlando, Florida, vs Benfica (Portugal) 
• June 24 in Nashville, Tennessee, vs Boca Juniors (Argentina)