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One Jan. 16, 150 days out from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Atlanta Host Committee held its monthly press conference. The virtual press conference provides journalists with updates on the city’s preparations ahead of the global soccer event taking place this summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Speakers included Dietmar Exler, Chief Operating Officer of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Dan Corso, President of the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee and Atlanta Sports Council, and Adam Fullerton, Vice President of Stadium Operations for Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The panel opened with statements from each speaker on the progress of the city’s preparations, followed by a question-and-answer period for journalists.
Exler remarked on Atlanta’s rise as a major soccer city over the last 15 years. Atlanta announced it was getting a professional soccer team in 2014, with Atlanta United debuting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The team won the MLS Cup Championship a year later.
In 2022, FIFA named Atlanta as a 2026 World Cup host city — one of two U.S. cities to host both the World Cup and the Olympics. This summer, teams from future World Cup host countries, Spain and Morocco (2030) and Saudi Arabia (2034), will compete in Atlanta.
“Atlanta is truly the center of soccer in the United States,” Exler said. “We are all set to have tremendous events in Atlanta. The stadium is ready, and the city is ready.”
Corso highlighted the importance of cooperation across Atlanta’s communities, which makes the city’s host committee stand out from other 2026 host cities.
“We get the civic and the business communities together and we bring the operational expertise from those organizations and their staff, and we pool them together into our host committee,” he said. “So, whether it’s the Atlanta Sports Council staff, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium staff or others, all of us work very closely together.”
Corso highlighted the “consistency” of the local organizations involved in Atlanta’s World Cup planning, calling it “effective” because the committee doesn’t rely on short-term, outside contractors who come in just for a particular event.
“We know each other very well,” Corso added.
He noted that the committee is collaborating with various consulates around Atlanta to address cultural needs, fan behavior, and travel patterns. He also provided updates on FIFA Fanfest days, which will take place at Centennial Olympic Park, and MARTA preparations.
MARTA is expecting high-volume usage during the World Cup and is in the process of introducing a tap-to-pay fare option. Each station will include 100 volunteers to help guide passengers and address problems on match days. MARTA beautification efforts will be completed by spring, particularly at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport station and Five Points station in downtown Atlanta.
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Fullerton provided updates on changes Mercedes-Benz Stadium will undergo in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On Jan. 31, the stadium will replace its synthetic turf with natural sod. Improvements to the stadium’s audio systems, field lighting, and wireless capabilities will also be made. Per FIFA’s “clean site” regulations, staff will cover up more than 2,000 brand names on display at the stadium, including the Mercedes-Benz emblem on the retractable roof.
“This stadium was designed to host these types of events,” Fullerton said. “We pride ourselves on being a world-class stadium. The tournament has been a bit of a driver for us to speed some of those upgrades up.”
With remarks finished, local, national, and international journalists were given the opportunity to question the panel. Questions ranged from asking their thoughts on hosting two games featuring the world’s top soccer team, Spain, to making international fans and teams feel welcome in Atlanta, given the Trump Administration’s suspension of processing immigrant visas from 75 countries. Teams from at least three of those 75 countries – Haiti, Cape Verde, and Uzbekistan – will play matches in Atlanta this summer during the World Cup.
Calls to boycott or forgo attending the 2026 World Cup in the U.S. have risen in response to the Trump Administration’s recent foreign policy plays and shooting of civilians by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Corso stressed that Atlanta’s host committee is focused on providing all fans with a “memorable experience.”
“I’m happy to tell you that we’re ready to host whomever comes into our city in our state for World Cup matches, whether it’s the five group-stage or the three knockout rounds that we have,” Corso answered. “We’re an international city. We’re easy to get to and easy to work with. So, whomever comes in, we’ll be ready to provide the best experience possible for all of them.”
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On the local level, Rough Draft asked the panel if local restaurant stalls at Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be affected by FIFA’s clean site regulations, including whether any businesses would be replaced during the World Cup.
“We are doing our best to make sure that [our venue’s] local brands have an opportunity to sell and operate here in the venue during the tournament,” Corso said. He stated that a few of FIFA’s restaurant partnerships may change some of the stadium’s concepts and/or menus. The committee is currently working through stadium menus to determine next steps.
The Atlanta Host Committee will continue holding monthly meetings ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 through July 19. Atlanta will host eight matches, including a semifinal on July 15, and host teams from Cape Verde, Haiti, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Uzbekistan. The remaining teams have not yet been determined.