Is Atlanta ready for the 2026 World Cup? – Atlanta News First

Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The FIFA World Cup will arrive in Atlanta in less than two years.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host eight matches in the world’s biggest sporting event, including a semi-final.
Over the past week, we got a sneak peek of what the summer of 2026 may look like.
Atlanta hosted two Copa América games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Kristian Mayer-Reinach won tickets to the opening match between Argentina and Canada.
“Throughout the entire 90-minute match, they were all just cheering for Messi,” he said. “It was really loud in there, a great atmosphere and probably pretty close to what it’s going to be for the World Cup.”
On Thursday, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team played Panama in the Copa América.
Gillen Greene is the general manager of STATS Brewpub in downtown Atlanta. He says both games brought in big business.
“We had the Argentina people, everybody in town from Messi. They were through the streets, people with flags and everything,” Greene said. “We were busy for days before and days after, which was amazing to see.”
Yet, this only offered a small sample of what could come in 2026.
“I think Atlanta is ready,” Greene said. “We’ve done these big games before and with it being spread out among other cities, it’s going to be great.”
Mayer-Reinach felt the same way.
“With MARTA, the parking they have setup and just the way Mercedes-Benz Stadium is as a venue, I think it’s perfect for the World Cup,” he said.
Bryan Rodriguez is a diehard Atlanta United Fan, who’s hesitant about Atlanta’s ability to host so many soccer fans.
“Infrastructure wise, I think there’s a lot to be said about public transportation to get ready for it,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of people here.”
His wife Jennifer can’t wait to witness the sporting spectacle.
“It’s going to be worldwide,” she said. “People are going to be coming from everywhere to Atlanta and seeing this great city.”
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