One of the biggest global events of this summer is sure to be the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From June 11 to July 19, 48 soccer teams will compete for the iconic trophy and $50 million in prize money. The games will be held across three countries with 11 of the 16 host cities in the US. This year Atlanta is one of the top host cities for both domestic and international spectators.
The city is expecting 500,000 spectators and the preparations for this major series of events has involved years of work from city agencies and leadership. The Atlanta Sports Council, Atlanta City Council, Atlanta Police Department and Office of Emergency Preparedness are all working together to ensure that the city is not only ready, but excited for the summer of soccer. Their focus is on safety and accessibility.
The eight games hosted by Atlanta will span 40 days, making both the preparation and execution of infrastructure updates vital. According to The City of Atlanta, city council approved a $120 million Transportation Infrastructure Bond for improvements that include sidewalk repair, street resurfacing, digital kiosks and wayfinding systems. Organizers are also promoting the use of MARTA, Atlanta’s transit operator, in order to minimize vehicle use and limit traffic.
While some citizens expressed initial frustration at these improvements because they seemed to be in response to global attention and not local need, Mayor Andre Dickens assured The Athletic that “these are not just temporary fixes because we have company coming. We needed to do these things anyway. … These are permanent improvements that will benefit Atlanta communities for a very long time, even after FIFA has come and gone.”
Some of the changes will be entirely new systems, while others are improvements to pre-existing technology. The IKE Smart City program has 140 live kiosks citywide with 220 planned, which will provide users with “real-time information, wayfinding support, and public messaging, helping users move through the city with clarity and confidence.”
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which seats 75,000 spectators under its domed ceiling, is no stranger to being the life of the party. Having hosted Super Bowl LIII in 2019, two matches in the 2024 Copa América, the 2025 College Football Playoff final, and countless concerts, there is little to no doubt the stadium and its surroundings will be ready come game day.
As exciting as the games inside the stadium will be, fanfare is expected to draw similar attention outside the gates for Atlanta residents. Initiatives like Showcase Atlanta and the FIFA Fan Festival will ensure that “whether you have a ticket or not, this is your celebration too.” The FIFA Fan Festival is advertising four main locations: Main Stage, The Playground, The Pitch and Georgia Street, all of which will have assorted activities for local and fan engagement. The concerts, food vendors, AR/VR experiences and much more will be at Centennial Olympic Park during 17 select days starting on June 11 and culminating with the semifinal on July 15.
Preparations for the World Cup have also made their way into SCAD Atlanta’s orbit. Hanna Joo, a junior graphic design major, had the opportunity to be a part of a advertising project for the World Cup in which she helped develop a creative concept and visual direction that aimed to “connect sports, culture, and community cohesively.” The visual branding has to be both locally inclusive and globally unified, so Joo found interest in learning how to promote the city on a global stage.
The opportunity to be a part of the advertising campaign posed challenges for her creatively. “One of the biggest challenges was balancing global appeal with local authenticity, making sure the campaign felt exciting for international audiences while still representing Atlanta in a genuine way. Overall, it felt like working on a real-world campaign where branding, culture, and large-scale events all intersect.” She plans on being in Atlanta to experience the campaign and its events in person during this summer.
From construction sites to press releases, Atlanta is all-in on World Cup preparations. We have just over a month until the Atlanta kickoff with Spain versus Cabo Verde on June 15. With such important changes to the city underway, local residents and traveling spectators alike will get to witness whether these changes are truly lasting and how effective they are in ensuring an exciting but smooth series of events.
