Members of FIFA’s Bid Evaluation Task Force were in Atlanta Wednesday to tour the city’s soccer facilities as part of the selection process for the United States’ 2026 World Cup bid. The bid, which pairs the U.S. with host cities in Canada and Mexico, has just one competitor in Morocco, with voting by FIFA member-nations to decide a winner in June.
According to the 2026 official bid book Atlanta would be put forward to host group stage matches as well as one of the two semi-final games, putting it in living rooms (and bars) across the globe as part of the most-watched sporting event in the world.
FIFA officials met with officials from the United Bid committee, the Atlanta Sports Council, Atlanta United, and the Atlanta Falcons as they toured Atlanta United’s Cobb County facilities, (a likely training ground for one of the World Cup teams) before heading downtown to check out Mercedes-Benz Stadium as well as the Georgia World Congress Center.
The GWCC has been put forward as a potential host of the International Broadcast Center, which would see sports commentators and crews from around the world setting up shop in downtown Atlanta for the duration of the tournament.
Hosting such an event could come with its share of headaches though. Potential host cities Chicago and Vancouver have already pulled out of consideration, citing a lack of assurances from FIFA regarding the tax breaks and other benefits that the footballing association demands. Could Atlanta face similar questions from legislators not keen on giving handouts to wealthy sporting institutions?
We have a while to find out, (it’s a long way until 2026) but state and city officials have had few qualms about handing out tax incentives if it means getting something in return, and hosting an event that would make the Super Bowl feel inadequate is certainly one hell of a ‘something.’
The Bid Evaluation Task Force, which has already stopped in Mexico City, will continue on to Toronto and New York City to conclude its evaluation tour.
