News & Opinion

You don’t need a ticket to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to experience the World Cup in Atlanta. From packed soccer bars and neighborhood watch parties to Beltline festivals and citywide celebrations, metro Atlanta is turning the tournament into a summer-long community event.

The World Cup may bring the global spotlight to Atlanta, but the city’s soccer culture thrives year-round. From retirees in Roswell to children playing beside MARTA stations, these players show how the game continues to connect Atlantans long after FIFA blows the final whistle.

Volunteers are responsible for making sure the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is a positive and memorable experience for visitors. In Atlanta, there are 3,000 recruited, vetted, and trained by the FIFA World Cup™ Volunteer Program. "Our hospitality really shines through with the volunteers,” says Margaret Beckley, the volunteer program lead for the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee.

Recall the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta. Traffic woes dominated local headlines, with MARTA receiving much of the blame. This summer, prepare for the same super-sized crowds and traffic—and multiply it by eight. With the arrival of the FIFA World Cup 2026—is MARTA ready?

Buford Highway Restaurant Month, which is being reimagined this June with a soccer spin, raises the visibility of the multicultural businesses along the 30-mile corridor.

As Atlanta prepares to host eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament represents both a major economic and cultural moment for the city and a milestone in America’s decades-long rise as a soccer nation.

You’ve got your itinerary ready, your team colors packed, and you’re about to embark on your trip to the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Here’s how Atlanta is planning a seamless journey to ensure your time in the city is easy, entertaining, and exciting!

It’s the season for art markets and festivals, where locally owned businesses showcase jewelry, clothes, and totes you won’t find anywhere else. Here are four local brands—Solid Moss Co., Loud Italians, Indian Roots, Color of Heat—helmed by designers who are committed to artisan traditions and a slow-fashion ethos.

Ashe Legacy Family Farm in Hampton began in 2022, when several generations of White’s family pooled resources to purchase the 11-acre property about 35 miles south of Atlanta. Today, Ashe Legacy is part of a larger effort to rebuild Black farming in the United States.

It isn’t just Atlanta that’s welcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™; it’s the entire state of Georgia. Soccer pitches are under construction from Augusta to Moultrie. And watch parties are being planned from the mountains to the coast.