Before the coffee finished pouring at the annual Eggs & Issues breakfast, Atlanta’s message was already clear: this legislative session matters, and so does how Georgia shows up together.
Speaking to more than 2,500 business, civic, and elected leaders inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Mayor Andre Dickens welcomed leaders from across the state and framed the year ahead around collaboration—between cities and counties, public and private sectors, and across party lines.
It was a familiar setting with new urgency. As Georgia convenes its legislative session, Atlanta is preparing for one of the biggest moments in its modern history: hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Atlanta as Georgia’s Gathering Place
Mayor Dickens opened by acknowledging the breadth of leaders in the room—statewide officials, lawmakers, and business partners—emphasizing Atlanta’s role as the place where Georgia comes together to do the people’s work.
He returned to a phrase he’s used often during his administration: Atlanta is a “group project.” Progress, he noted, doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires trust, alignment, and a willingness to work through differences with respect.
That same mindset, he said, has helped Atlanta and the state partner on everything from transportation and emergency management to public safety and economic development—partnerships that will only grow more important in the year ahead.
Welcoming the World—Together
With the stadium itself serving as a powerful backdrop, Mayor Dickens turned to what’s coming next for the city and the state.
Atlanta will host eight FIFA World Cup matches, including a semifinal, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity across metro Atlanta. Those visitors won’t just fill hotels—they’ll support jobs, small businesses, and neighborhoods throughout the region.
But the opportunity, he stressed, goes beyond economics. The World Cup is Atlanta’s chance to showcase its innovation economy, creative energy, and signature Southern hospitality—on a global stage.
Just as the city did during the 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta is preparing to welcome the world while strengthening the systems residents rely on every day.
A Broader Agenda for the Year Ahead
The World Cup may be the headline moment, but it’s only part of the work ahead.
Mayor Dickens pointed to continued momentum on issues that matter most to residents: expanding affordable housing, advancing public safety, improving transit, and investing in infrastructure. Many of those efforts extend beyond city borders, reinforcing the need for coordination with state leaders and regional partners.
Atlanta’s success, he said, is tied directly to Georgia’s success. Prosperity and safety can’t be siloed by geography.
As lawmakers begin their session just blocks away, the Mayor underscored Atlanta’s readiness to stay at the table—working alongside state leaders to move both the city and Georgia forward.
What’s Next
As the legislative year unfolds and global preparations accelerate, the conversations that began at Eggs & Issues will continue—around policy, partnership, and Atlanta’s role in shaping what comes next for Georgia.
