Tag: Atlanta Sports Council

Arthur Blank believed that Atlanta could become a world soccer capital, but not everyone was convinced. Fast-forward and Blank’s pro soccer team, Atlanta United, regularly sets MLS attendance records, and Atlanta will host eight FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches, including a semifinal.

Hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is the latest chapter in a 30-year transformation that began with the 1996 Olympic Games, which accelerated the city's growth, strengthened public-private partnerships, elevated its cultural and culinary profile, and established Atlanta as one of the world's leading destinations for major sporting events.

As Atlanta prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a diverse lineup of civic leaders, soccer stars, business executives, and cultural ambassadors is working behind the scenes to shape the city’s moment on the global stage.

In 2017, Atlanta was one of more than 40 candidate cities in North America competing to host FIFA World Cup 2026™. Each candidate had to offer a lot to be considered. It all culminated in a 2022 nationally televised, hour-long broadcast from New York announcing the 16 winners.

A World Cup final watch party at Piedmont Park, additional days for the Fan Fest at Centennial Olympic Park, and events in South Downtown were among the updates provided on Thursday by the city’s stakeholders in the summer soccer tournament.

Hosting two U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium won’t be a rehearsal for the eight World Cup matches coming this summer. That preparation is done. So when the U.S. hosts Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31, organizers are confident that all aspects of hosting will run smoothly for both those games and the World Cup thanks to muscle memory built not just from the two previous international tournaments, but also the myriad events, sporting and otherwise, the city and stadium have hosted over the years.