The final whistle has blown on Atlanta’s FIFA World Cup 2026 experience, but the work behind it — and its impact on our city — will last well beyond this summer.
For years, City of Atlanta employees across nearly every department prepared Atlanta to welcome the world. From public safety and transportation to parks, sanitation, permitting, customer service and the airport, thousands of hours of work went into making sure Atlanta was ready.
Now, that work has been captured in two places: the City of Atlanta’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Legacy & Impact Book, a comprehensive record of the City’s work before and during the tournament, and ATL & Beyond, which tells the broader story of Atlanta’s World Cup experience and the investments and partnerships that will continue benefiting the city.
Atlanta Welcomed the World
Atlanta hosted eight FIFA World Cup matches, welcoming 544,516 fans to the stadium — with six of the eight matches reaching capacity.
But the World Cup stretched far beyond match days.
More than 500,000 people attended the FIFA Fan Festival, while Atlanta’s World Cup story reached audiences around the globe, with media representing 89 countries.
Across the region, MARTA carried approximately 2.5 million riders during the tournament. More than 2,000 volunteers contributed more than 55,000 hours across 10,000-plus shifts, helping visitors navigate and experience Atlanta.
And more than 4,500 young people participated in youth programs and activities connected to the World Cup.
A Whole-City Effort
Those numbers only tell part of the story.
The Legacy & Impact Book documents the work that happened behind the scenes across City government.
Atlanta Police officers, firefighters, emergency managers and other public safety partners coordinated operations across the city. Transportation teams managed traffic, mobility and streets. Public Works crews helped keep Atlanta clean. Parks and Recreation activated public spaces and brought soccer into communities.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport prepared to welcome travelers from around the world. ATL311 helped residents and visitors find information and services. City teams handled permits, licenses, inspections, communications, technology, accessibility and countless other details necessary to host an event of this scale.
The City also expanded free public Wi-Fi through 222 access points at Centers of Hope, City Hall and throughout the Atlanta University Center — an investment accelerated by World Cup preparations that remains available to Atlantans today.
It was a coordinated effort across departments, executive offices, regional agencies, community organizations and private-sector partners — with one goal: deliver an experience worthy of Atlanta.
More Than a Tournament
From the beginning, Mayor Andre Dickens challenged Atlanta to think beyond eight matches.
The goal was not simply to host the World Cup, but to use the opportunity to make investments, build partnerships and create experiences that would remain after visitors went home.
That meant supporting local businesses, connecting young people to the game, improving infrastructure, strengthening public safety coordination, expanding technology and connectivity, and showcasing Atlanta’s neighborhoods, culture and people to a global audience.
It also meant making sure the story of that work did not disappear when the tournament ended.
See What Atlanta Accomplished
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Legacy & Impact Book brings the City’s work together in one place, recognizing the departments, employees and partners who helped Atlanta deliver on the world stage.
ATL & Beyond takes that story further — highlighting the people, places, investments and experiences that defined Atlanta’s World Cup journey and what comes next.
The matches may be over. The crowds may have gone home. But Atlanta has a permanent record of what it took to welcome the world — and a legacy built to last.
