As Atlanta prepares to welcome more than 300,000 visitors for eight FIFA World Cup matches, the Fulton County Commission received an update Jan.7, detailing preparations and public safety.
Bookmark: Rough Draft Atlanta’s FIFA World Cup ’26 hub.
The World Cup is six months away, with eight games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium from June 15 to July 15. Statewide, officials expect the tournament to generate $500 million.
The 2026 World Cup is unique. Instead of a single country holding the tournament, matches are split between 16 host cities across North America.
Making history in Atlanta
The United States has 11 host cities, including Atlanta. Canada’s Toronto and Vancouver will host matches, along with Mexico’s Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City.
Jessica Corbitt, county external affairs director, said her team is coordinating with all 15 cities outside of Atlanta for viewing party guidelines and community engagement planning.
“There are still some playoff games happening in Europe that will determine the final lineup,” Corbitt said, referencing play-in games involving Czechia, Denmark, North Macedonia, and the Republic of Ireland. “I know DeKalb, Gwinnett, and other counties around us are going to also be activating, but we want to keep visitors as much as possible within Fulton County while they’re here.”
Officials question spending
The Experience Fulton campaign includes paid advertisements, events, and activations across the county, and a mobile “Fulton-centric” event calendar. Corbitt and her team are asking for $1 million from the county’s 2026 operational budget for World Cup-related public relations.
Some examples of targeted advertisements include MARTA bus billboards, digital screens at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and taxi toppers.
Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. confirmed with the county’s finance department that the funding has not yet been set aside in the 2026 budget, which was approved earlier in the meeting. He said the funding request may need to be revisited.
“I don’t know how advertising Fulton County to people that are already here generates anything for us,” Arrington said. “I mean, typically when you’re doing this type of advertising, you do it outside of Fulton County because you’re trying to bring people in. They’re already spending the money to bring everybody here.”
County Manager Dick Anderson said the World Cup hands Fulton an opportunity to promote itself, adding that there is no concrete return on investment from advertising.
Anderson and Arrington then discussed Fulton County being left off the host committee for the Atlanta games, joking about using the $1 million to get a seat at the table. County officials are not happy about their exclusion.
“We’re going to get MARTA some money … taxi cabs … the airport,” Arrington said. “I don’t know, Mr. Manager, unless you can get us on this host committee, I don’t see how this makes sense.”
Who’s coming to town?
The Fulton County Executive Airport at Brown Field expects daily traffic to double, with an estimated 250-300 takeoffs or landings. Because the county owns and operates the airport, staff said increased staffing and coordination with customs is needed for compliance with flight inspection requirements.
Commissioner Bridget Thorne said she thinks advertising spending could spread some of the economic impact around the county, citing places like Chattahoochee Hills’s Bear Creek Nature Center.
“I think a majority of people will come in, and they probably will just stay in Atlanta,” Thorne said. “Fulton County has a lot more to offer than just Atlanta. But with that being said, it’s kind of hard to dedicate $1 million toward this when we have so many other needs.”
The county commission’s approved spending plan for operations is nearly $1.1 billion, with a projected $77 million deficit. The operational budget also assumes a roughly 4.5 percent property tax increase, which will be set in August.
“Tough ask, especially this time around, but it’s also a great opportunity to launch Experience Fulton,” Thorne said.
The Sandy Springs Police and Fire departments are assisting Atlanta with security during the games, receiving an estimated $78,000 for overtime.
County staff said the federal government has earmarked around $1.5 million to cover overtime and expenses for public safety professionals. Participating agencies and departments include the police department, sheriff’s office, Board of Health, and the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency (AFCEMA).
It’s unclear if Fulton County commissioners will approve the $1 million for advertising, though conversations centered around the 2026 FIFA World Cup will continue.