Atlanta Prepares for World Cup with Infrastructure, Transit, and Fan Festival Upgrades

City leaders outline plans for transportation, airport, and fan experience ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:55am

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With just 95 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Atlanta, city leaders gathered at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to provide updates on the various infrastructure, transportation, and fan experience upgrades being made to welcome the global soccer tournament. Key announcements included MARTA's new payment system, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport's renovations, GDOT's downtown street improvements, and details on the free FIFA Fan Festival in Centennial Olympic Park.

Why it matters

As one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, Atlanta is making significant investments to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for the influx of international visitors expected for the global soccer tournament. These upgrades to the city's transportation, airport, and fan activities will not only benefit World Cup attendees, but also leave a lasting positive impact on Atlanta's infrastructure and tourism capabilities.

The details

Key announcements from the city's World Cup preparedness event included: MARTA will launch its new Better Breeze credit card/mobile payment system in two weeks and increase service during matches; Hartsfield-Jackson Airport will open its long-under-construction South Terminal parking deck, increase police presence, and add World Cup-themed signage; GDOT will operate at special-event capacity, continuing infrastructure upgrades like street resurfacing and lighting improvements downtown; and the free FIFA Fan Festival in Centennial Olympic Park will feature a vendor area, playground, small soccer field, and main stage to watch games.

  • The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off in Atlanta on June 15.
  • The city's World Cup preparedness event was held on Thursday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Dan Corso

Head of Atlanta's World Cup Committee and Atlanta Sports Council.

Bev Carey

FIFA Atlanta host city director.

Tim Zulawski

President of Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment.

LaChandra Burks

Chief operating officer for the City of Atlanta.

Augustus Hudson

Deputy general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

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What they’re saying

“We want to make sure our businesses are ready for what comes to Atlanta. It's kicking off with the World Cup with the hopes of this going forward for the events that we have here.”

— LaChandra Burks, Chief operating officer for the City of Atlanta (atlantamagazine.com)

“The end goal is to show that we are the most efficient airport in the world, and that we don't have an interruption for our normal passengers.”

— Augustus Hudson, Deputy general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (atlantamagazine.com)

“We're very excited for these investments and the robust efficiency.”

— Jonathan Hunt, Interim CEO of MARTA (atlantamagazine.com)

“Our narrative is going to 'welcome home,' so that applies to introducing Georgia to the world and the world to Georgia.”

— Attila Meijs, Executive producer of Atlanta's Fan Festival (atlantamagazine.com)

What’s next

The first test of Atlanta's World Cup preparedness will come on June 15 when Spain takes on Cape Verde in their tournament debut at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The takeaway

Atlanta is making significant investments in its infrastructure, transportation, and fan experience to ensure a successful and memorable 2026 FIFA World Cup. These upgrades will not only benefit World Cup visitors, but also leave a lasting positive impact on the city's capabilities to host major international events in the future.