Atlanta’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Poster

Hidden Gems and Local Pride

By Taylor Boser

Published March 24, 2025
Last Updated April 23, 2025

Artículo también disponible en español.

The Atlanta poster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here.

José Hadathy, Atlanta United FC’s creative design manager, was approached by the FIFA World Cup host committee to design the poster for Atlanta.

The Atlanta World Cup 2026 poster contains plenty of hidden gems with nods to Atlanta landmarks, attractions and history. Here are some of the many you may have missed (along with their deeper meaning).

Peaches

it was an easy choice for Hadathy to include peaches in the poster since they are the state fruit of Georgia.

“When you look at the pattern, you’re meant to think of textiles from fashion, floral patterns that you might see in graphic design, different types of art,” he said. “So this is to reference the fact that some of the best art in the world is made in Atlanta.”

Georgia State Capitol

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, and the Georgia Capitol Museum can be viewed in the capitol building in downtown Atlanta. Tour the Gold Dome, explore legislative chambers and visit the museum showcasing Georgia’s civil rights history and political milestones.

“I put that there to reference that the whole state of Georgia will be on the world stage in 2026, not just the city of Atlanta,” Hadathy said.

Clark Atlanta University

As the first HBCU (historically Black college and university) in the Southern United States, Clark Atlanta University is a center for ideas, purpose and action. It is one of the institutions that make up the Atlanta University Center (AUC), the largest body of private HBCUs nationwide. Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College also are part of the AUC.

Hammonds House Museum

Located in the historic West End, Hammonds House Museum showcases artwork of the African diaspora.

On the roof of the Hammonds House are solar panels, representing sustainability in Atlanta. The 2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a true zero-waste-certified stadium.

Wren’s Nest

A short walk from Hammonds House Museum is Wren’s Nest, home of author Joel Chandler Harris. You may recognize his name as the author of the Uncle Remus stories. Wren’s Nest can be found on the bottom left side of the poster.

Soccer in the Streets

The soccer field underneath the train tracks in the poster represents Soccer in the Streets. This non-profit organization creates opportunities for Atlanta’s youth through soccer. Locating soccer fields at MARTA stations is a way to make the sport more accessible.

MARTA Public Transit

The MARTA train in the center of the poster illustrates that public transportation is accessible in Atlanta and for World Cup attendees. MARTA takes riders from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport right to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Visitors can also use MARTA to travel to other parts of Downtown, then head over to Midtown and Buckhead to explore the city.

Krog Street Tunnel

You’ll find the Krog Street Tunnel along the Eastside Beltline Trail. Covered in graffiti, the walls of the tunnel don’t stay for long, and artists are constantly creating new, colorful artwork. Hadathy said he included this to show how Atlanta embraces and celebrates street art.

Birth Home of Martin Luther King Jr.

You can visit Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home on Auburn Avenue. It’s where he lived for the first 12 years of his life. Note: His birth home is closed for renovations through November.

Hadathy’s reason for including this in the poster was to show how important the Civil Rights Movement was to Atlanta and the country.

Rainbow Crosswalks

At the corner of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Midtown, you’ll find the Rainbow Crosswalks. These streets were painted in 2015 ahead of Atlanta Pride and became a permanent attraction in 2017. Around the area, you’ll find popular gay bars like Bulldogs, considered the oldest gay bar in Atlanta; X Midtown; and Blake’s on the Park.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

In the middle of the poster, the canopy of trees comes together to form the oculus shape of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the World Cup matches will be played.

From the shape, a group of fans emerges, which Hadathy said was essential to show the excitement of the tournament.

“The diversity shown here in the fans is meant to represent not just the diversity of the city of Atlanta but also of the people from around the world visiting the city for the tournament,” Hadathy said.

The shirts they’re wearing show off Atlanta’s color palette from FIFA.

Golden Soccer Ball

The peach splitting open at the top of the poster has a globe emerging instead of a seed. This was included to show that Georgia has a deep history of soccer.

The Atlanta Chiefs were a professional soccer team in the city from 1967 through 1981.

Then came the Atlanta Ruckus, which started in 1994 with the name eventually changing to the Silverbacks. The team was disbanded at the end of the 2015 season.

“The idea is that Georgia has a deep history of soccer, with professional teams ranging from the Atlanta Chiefs, the Ruckus, the Atlanta Beat, now Atlanta United and many others,” Hadathy said.

The gold globe symbolizes victory.

Hadathy said the globe and the fan holding the soccer scarf with his arms spread wide is a subtle nod to the World Cup trophy.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

The air traffic control tower and plane reference the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport is the only one with direct flights to all 16 World Cup host cities.

The poster will be for sale on FIFA’s website starting April 17.

A Chicago transplant, Taylor loves exploring what makes Atlanta the place to be. Name a popular festival, food hall or brewery to check out and she will be there.