Atlanta's selection as a 2026 World Cup host city has accelerated major downtown development projects. The city will be among 16 North American host cities, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium potentially hosting four to six matches during the tournament, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of international visitors.
Three major projects are transforming the downtown landscape. Centennial Yards, a $5 billion CIM Group development spanning 50 acres in the Gulch, aims to complete about 30% of its street grid by 2026, including hotels, residential units, offices, and retail spaces. The first phase will break ground on four buildings this year. South Downtown's Newport development plans 650 new apartments along South Broad Street by 2025, with 70 units designated as affordable housing. Underground Atlanta's new owner, Shaneel Lalani, intends to complete the first development phase nearly fully leased before the World Cup arrives.
Downtown currently struggles with lower rents than other urban centers — averaging $1,800 monthly compared to $2,000+ in Midtown and Buckhead — and lacks vibrant residential communities outside business hours. The World Cup deadline has galvanized developers. "The things we were ideally looking to deliver in 2027 or 2028, with the World Cup coming in 2026, it definitely gives us a boost," Lalani stated.
Housing development also addresses Atlanta's affordable housing crisis. Centennial Yards must price 20% of units for households earning 80% of area median income ($96,400 for families of four). The Masquerade music venue and Atlanta Brewing Company's relocation to Underground signal growing confidence in South Downtown's revitalization.
The Five Points MARTA station will undergo a $200 million renovation beginning in 2024, improving bus bays and the station plaza. While train platform work will finish before 2026, plaza improvements may continue during the tournament.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution