Atlanta in running for 2031 Women’s World Cup matches, tournament events

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Atlanta could be in line for another major international soccer tournament, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium proposed as a venue for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and other local landmarks under consideration for tournament events.

“I think that’s amazing. We were here this last summer for the Men’s World Cup, and it was just an incredible vibe. We went to several of the Fan Fest events. We went to a game. So to bring the girls over here, that’d be awesome,” said soccer fan Cathy Hugues, who attended a 2026 World Cup game and Fan Festival events in Atlanta.

The plans are part of a joint bid by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. In a newly released evaluation, FIFA gave the bid an overall score of 4.4 out of 5 and said it exceeded the minimum hosting requirements.

The bid still must be considered by FIFA’s decision-makers. The report says the host selection is scheduled for FIFA’s extraordinary congress on Nov. 23, 2026. Even if the four-nation bid is selected, final host cities, stadiums and event locations would still need to be determined.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium makes the bid

Atlanta is one of 20 potential host cities assessed in the evaluation, which also includes 20 stadiums across the four countries. The bid lists Mercedes-Benz Stadium as a venue for all match categories, and FIFA gave it a technical score of 4.5 out of 5.

The report says the stadium’s gross capacity of approximately 71,000 exceeds the minimum required for both the opening match and final. The bid did not designate a stadium for either match.

FIFA cited Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s access to the airport and public transportation, retractable roof and experience hosting international soccer. The report said the stadium hosted six matches during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and eight during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including a semifinal.

The stadium’s artificial turf would need to be converted to natural grass for the tournament, as it was for the 2026 World Cup, the report says. FIFA said no significant construction or renovation work is currently planned.

Fox Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center proposed for draw

The bid also proposes Atlanta as the principal location for events associated with the tournament, citing the city’s international connections and concentration of hotels and entertainment venues.

Two Midtown venues — the Fox Theatre and the Woodruff Arts Center — are proposed as options for the tournament draw, when participating teams are placed into groups.

For a team workshop, the bid proposes the Georgia World Congress Center’s Georgia Ballroom or the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre as an alternative.

FIFA said the proposed event sites appear well positioned to meet tournament requirements, though further planning and assessment would be needed to confirm operational needs. The organization rated the overall risk for competition-related event sites as low.

A bigger tournament, and work still ahead

The 2031 tournament is set to be the first Women’s World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32. FIFA says the expansion will increase the number of matches from 64 to 104. The bid proposes a tournament running from mid-June through late July.

FIFA praised the four-nation bid’s existing stadiums, major-event experience and commercial potential. However, the organization also identified areas that would need further work if the bid is selected.

FIFA rated the bid’s overall contractual framework as high risk, noting that some host city and stadium commitments remain nonbinding or incomplete. Human rights and environmental protections were rated as medium risks, with FIFA citing the need for more detailed human rights measures and the environmental impact of air travel across the tournament’s large geographic footprint.

The evaluation covers a representative group of 20 proposed cities and stadiums. However, the bid puts forward a larger pool of more than 30 cities and more than 45 stadiums for potential consideration.

Ford said Atlanta could take steps to improve the fan experience if the tournament returns in 2031.

“If we do get it, we need to start promoting it and sending out information so that when people come, they have an idea of everything we have to offer,” said Ford.

Malone said Atlanta got one important aspect right during the 2026 FIFA World Cup: transportation.

“There were a lot of problems with it, but they really improved on that. So that was a big thing,” said Malone.

While FIFA has yet to award the 2031 tournament to the North American bid, Atlanta already has a successful World Cup summer to build on. The city hosted eight matches with sold-out crowds and earned recognition for having the tournament’s most-attended fan festival.

“I think it was a melting pot of people from different backgrounds and cultures. Everyone was so loving, enjoying each other’s presence, and the whole vibe was amazing,” said Hugues.

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