Images: Plans unveiled for ATL's World Cup celebrations, zones, more

Exactly what Atlanta has in store for its main 2026 FIFA World Cup party is coming into clearer focus. 

The Atlanta World Cup Host Committee has unveiled details and schedules for the city’s official FIFA Fan Festival™, which is set to take over downtown’s marquee greenspace for more than a month, staring in 90 days. 

Plans call for transforming Centennial Olympic Park into a gathering place for the world, with a focus on live match broadcasts, activations for all ages, cultural programming, and food and beverages galore that “highlights the intersection of global soccer culture and southern hospitality,” per an AWCHC announcement. 

The entire footprint of the park will be devoted to World Cup programming, with graphics and art designating individual districts and communities, officials said Thursday. 

Specifically, FIFA Fan Festival™ Atlanta calls for four programming zones. Those are described as: 

• Main Stage, the festival’s focal point, will feature concerts and other events, with The Main Stage flanked by a 40-foot screen that showcases live matches and tournament highlights;
• The Playground will feature activations and games geared toward younger fans;
• The Pitch will host a community stage, podcasts and AR/VR-enhanced sound experiences;
• Georgia Street, meanwhile, will showcase artists and food vendors from across the region.

Festivities at Centennial Olympic Park will open June 12, the day after the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. 

The futbol party will close July 15—after Atlanta hosts one of two FIFA World Cup semi-final matches (essentially one half of the tourney’s Final Four, prior to the Finals in New York). 

Plans call for FIFA Fan Festival™ to be open for 16 days total. Free entry tickets can be reserved here starting March 26.  

“Centennial Olympic Park is one of the greatest legacies of the 1996 Olympic Games, and it will host the world again this summer,” said Joe Bocherer, chief commercial officer of organizer and park owner Georgia World Congress Center Authority, in a statement. “We have worked with our partners to create an experience that is uniquely Atlanta, celebrating our region and creating a safe and fun environment for visitors and locals alike.” 

GWCCA is partnering on festival design and development with Solomon Group and WINK, which have worked in Atlanta on past major events including the College Football Playoff National Championship, MLB All-Star Game, and MLS All-Star Game. 

Interestingly, AWCHC has partnered with Savannah College of Art and Design on an initiative called “Last Mile Plan” that will aim to help visitors and residents navigate downtown, especially as they walk from matches to transit, adjacent neighborhoods, and parking.  SCAD put together “a distinctive, event-specific wayfinding system that uses a unique color and photography approach inspired by Atlanta’s neighborhoods, culture, and people,” per AWCHC officials. 

This year’s World Cup will be staged across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Only Dallas will host more matches (nine) than Atlanta. 

Below is quick rundown of the eight matches set to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (aka, "Atlanta Stadium") this summer: 

Group stage matches:

• Match 14 – Monday, 15 June at 12 p.m. ET, ESP vs CPV (Group H)
• Match 25 – Thursday, 18 June at 12 p.m. ET, DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL vs RSA (Group A)
• Match 38 – Sunday, 21 June at 12 p.m. ET, ESP vs KSA (Group H)
• Match 50 – Wednesday, 24 June at 6 p.m. ET, MAR vs HAI (Group C)
• Match 72 – Saturday, 27 June at 7:30 p.m. ET, COD/JAM/NCL vs UZB (Group K)

Knockout stage matches:

• Match 80 – Wednesday, 1 July at 12 p.m. ET, Round of 32
• Match 95 – Tuesday, 7 July at 12 p.m. ET, Round of 16

Semi-final:

• Match 102 – Wednesday, 15 July at 3 p.m. ET, Semi-Final

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