The FIFA World Cup, arguably the most-watched sporting tournament on the planet, will be in North America in just 135 days. That includes Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, and of the South in so many ways. The business impact of the 2026 World Cup on the city and its surrounding suburbs can be enduring, similar to that of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Maybe even more so.
The World Affairs Council of Atlanta, a non-profit organization, hosted “The World Cup in Atlanta: Unlocking Economic Opportunity” on Tuesday morning. The event took place inside The Loft, an event space in the Woodruff Arts Center.
“This is our generation’s Olympics,” said World Affairs Council of Atlanta President Rickey Bevington, the moderator of Tuesday’s conversation.
Metro Atlanta Chamber President and CEO Katie Kirkpatrick, the featured speaker at the sold-out event, agreed with Bevington. “Pretty much all of the world can get to Atlanta,” Kirkpatrick said.
The conversation lasted nearly an hour and touched on topics such as how Atlanta secured one of the two FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal matches, transportation, what will come of the city’s unhoused population, hotel accommodations, and transportation and walkability in the city. Kirkpatrick answered all of the questions from Bevington and the audience with poise and patience. The World Cup, she said, will encompass everything that makes Atlanta a major American city and, in many ways, an international city.
“This is an incredibly instructive opportunity for us,” Kirkpatrick explained. She went on to say that the 1996 Summer Olympic Games helped “introduce Atlanta to the world,” and “now what we’re doing is elevating ourselves. This is what we exist to do.”
Kirkpatrick said the bipartisan support for the tournament by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Governor Brian Kemp helped make FIFA’s decision to choose Atlanta for one of the biggest soccer matches on the planet possible.
The amount of traffic in downtown Atlanta will be another concern. Kirkpatrick said she hopes that there is traffic because that means the locals have decided to remain in the city to take part in the festivities.
Hala Moddelmog, Woodruff Arts Center president and CEO, also spoke to the importance of the World Cup for Atlanta and how the arts center will attempt to play a part in the madness to come. The arts center has five stages on campus and Moddelmog said there are plans to host match watch parties. The submission has been made into the FIFA portal for permission.
“We’re not necessarily showing the Atlanta matches, but what we’re showing are the matches that everybody in the world wants to see. We think it might attract a different clientele,” she said.
Bank of America, Atlanta President Al McRae also took to the stage to express the financial company’s interest in the tournament.
“Atlanta will be a major stage this summer for this tremendous event,” he said. “Whether you’re one of those business owners or you’re a fan of the sport, there’s going to be some type of opportunity for you.”
McRae said Bank of America wants to help local businesses benefit from the World Cup long after the tournament is over. “We cannot wait to cheer together and host the world together,” he said. “We look forward to what this series will spark and what this World Cup will allot for Atlanta.”
The World Affairs Council of Atlanta also announced a new speaker series that explores the global, economic, and cultural impact of Atlanta’s role as one of the host cities for the World Cup. The speaker series will be presented by Charlotte-based banking giant, Bank of America. On March 6, the series will celebrate International Women’s Day with a breakfast featuring leadership lessons from former United States Women’s National Team star Kelley O’Hara. A native of Peachtree City, O’Hara is a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and a 2012 Summer Olympics gold medalist.