Besides the Olympics, there is no event on earth that attracts attendees and attendees from across the world like the World Cup. There is a lot of uncertainty around just exactly what this all might mean for economic impact or future economic development but a lot of leaders across Atlanta and the state are remembering just what the Olympics meant to the region. In some respects, the explosive growth of the metro Atlanta region can be marked before or after the Olympics. Just how much that growth is pinned to that is impossible to determine but 1996 is undoubtedly viewed as a dividing line.
The World Cup in 2026 might be another dividing line. Unlike the Olympics, World Cup matches will be split out across 16 cities, 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada. Atlanta will host eight matches, including one of the semifinals. Some 300,000 visitors are expected and the Metro Atlanta Chamber estimates an economic impact of more than $500 million from out-of-state visitors alone. They may be in the business of cheerleading numbers like that but the impact will certainly be immense.
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