Atlanta World Cup prep: One year to go
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The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau said nearly 130,000 hotel rooms are booked. Photo: Thomas Wheatley/Axios
Atlanta is officially one year out from kicking off the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Why it matters: While you're pondering putting your apartment on Airbnb, Atlanta officials are preparing the city to host eight matches — and hundreds of thousands of visitors — over 39 days next summer.
- The countdown to the once-in-a-generation event is ticking much louder than it was yesterday.
Driving the news: On Wednesday, the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee said the city was on track for the soccer tournament and shared how ticket holders, fans and residents can stay safe, move around and maybe make money during the event.
What they're saying: "The World Cup, for us in Atlanta, is an opportunity to celebrate and to show off our people and our culture and the energy and the hospitality that really only Atlanta can bring to large-scale sporting events," Atlanta Sports Council president Dan Corso said.
Zoom in: Expect plenty of police, packed hotels from downtown to the suburbs, and hordes of people attending a fan festival with concerts and match viewing parties in Centennial Olympic Park. 60 venues across the city are hosting or holding space for special event rentals once the participating countries are announced.
- Atlanta Police Department Chief Deputy Charles Hampton, who oversees the new division tasked with World Cup planning, said the department is studying fan culture and how to help people from a mix of countries.
- Rhonda Allen, chief customer experience officer at MARTA, tells Axios the agency would coordinate with regional transit operators to shuttle suburban residents but have not yet had talks.
The city plans to invest roughly $120 million in streetscapes, street lights and other infrastructure work. Officials also plan to open most of the Atlanta Beltline's trails by summer.
The intrigue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium will cover the carmaker's oversized logo — possibly with a giant soccer ball decal, according to Dietmar Exler, chief operating officer of the venue — to comply with FIFA's "clean venue" policy.
In the weeds: The venue has spent the past year preparing the stadium and working with FIFA and a University of Tennessee professor to grow a Bahama grass hybrid ideal for Atlanta.
State of play: Dan Corso, the president of the Atlanta Sports Council, said the host committee will partner with youth soccer programs across the state and build a new Soccer in the Streets pitch at MARTA's Hamilton E. Holmes station.
Fun fact: The World Cup final will take place on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, exactly 30 years after the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
The big picture: Officials said Atlanta's successful hosting of the World Cup could cement its reputation as a global sports hub and trigger a daisy chain of opportunities for the city, region and state.
- For sports and business executives, it means future international tournaments, including the Women's World Cup, business deals, exchanges and more.
What's next: In December, FIFA will announce which countries will play games in Atlanta and the other host cities. Officials and businesses can then use that information to tailor programs, events and way-finding for visitors.
The bottom line: Atlanta will be bonkers. Get ready.