Your Guide to the Atlanta Cultural Exchange During FIFA World Cup 2026

By Mary Welch

Published June 9, 2026

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At A Glance:

• The Atlanta Cultural Exchange is Atlanta’s official cultural hub during FIFA World Cup 2026.
• Eight free activations will showcase the city’s music, art, fashion, film and creative industries.
• More than 250 creatives, 120 vendors and dozens of cultural organizations will participate.
• Events will take place at The Center in downtown Atlanta from June 14–July 14, 2026.
• The initiative aims to spotlight Atlanta’s creative community and create lasting opportunities beyond the World Cup.

There is a lot going on during FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta, and you will want to see and absorb as much as possible of ATL. As they say, so much to do, so little time.

One of the best ways to get a feel for the richness of Atlanta’s arts community and how the city leads the world in culture will be the Atlanta Cultural Exchange, the city’s cultural platform during the World Cup. Presented by Showcase Atlanta and powered by The Gathering Spot, the Exchange brings together the artists, entrepreneurs and creative leaders who define the city’s cultural footprint and its influence on the world. Anchored by the theme “Culture by Design,” you will gain a real understanding of how Atlanta advances culture — whether in music, dance, design, film, digital innovation, fashion or art.

“The Exchange will be a true representation of our culture ecosystem, which is to say it’s vast and eclectic,” said Adriane V. Jefferson, executive director of the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs, which produced and ideated the Exchange in collaboration with producing partner 10 Squared Agency. “It’s really a melting pot, and we really wanted a way for the world to explore Atlanta culture and give our creatives an opportunity to be showcased on a global level. We want to create real opportunities for artists, entrepreneurs, cultural leaders and creative businesses.”

The Atlanta Cultural Exchange is the premier stage for live culture, creative performance, and global exchange during the FIFA World Cup 2026, featuring eight dynamic activations on June 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, and 30, as well as July 6 and 14.

The Exchange will be on the eighth floor of the CTR Building, dubbed The Center (formerly known as CNN Center) and within walking distance to the FIFA World Cup events, hotels and fan experiences in downtown Atlanta.

During the course of the games, you can listen to music, watch films and fashion shows, go to the music lounge, participate in DJ competitions or watch live music performances— every genre from opera to rap. Two hundred and fifty local creatives, 12 small businesses and 70 Atlanta Artist Projects will enthrall visitors with their talent and business opportunities.

“It’s very ambitious, and it speaks to a broader vision of what we have for our creative system in Atlanta,” she said. “Atlanta is an international city, and we want to be known for all of our arts and culture, not just music. This is a way to flex the vastness of our creative community and also let it live beyond the games. We want to connect different organizations and build relationships that will last beyond the games. We keep saying we want this to happen with Atlanta, not to Atlanta, and this is what the creative answer looks like. We’re looking at this long term.”

Those confirmed to be at the Exchange include the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Influences Everything, HBCU Made, Imani Ellis of CultureCon, conversations with Killer Mike, Buckhead Art & Company, and ZuCot Gallery. Adding depth to the experience are partnerships with Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Haiti, all of whom are playing here in the World Cup.

Admittedly, the concept is hitting for the fences with lots of parts moving at the same time — including the visitors. The 25,000-square-foot floor has a capacity of around 2,000 people, but the plan is to keep it at around 1,500 by offering free tickets. Entrance to the floor will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The space is so vast that various activities can occur simultaneously in different zones, allowing people to walk across the floor or stay in a particular area of interest. There will also be Exchange ambassadors helping to monitor traffic and guide guests to the various zones.

Among the zones are The Exchange Gallery, which will be a dynamic visual arts platform, the Global Soundstage & Lounge, a multi-layered sonic platform that celebrates the city’s groundbreaking global sound where live performances, DJ culture and musical storytelling converge, as well as The Amazon Community Stage where visitors from around the world will be able to experience, music, dance, spoken word, live storytelling and dynamic conversations.

In addition, there will be a market with 15 vendors selling their products. Every day, there will be different vendors, meaning that a total of 120 vendors will be represented.

And there’s more.

Since the intent is for the cultural and business interactions to continue after the games, it was important to include the broader Atlanta community. So, The Exchange on Wheels will bring the city’s culture, World Cup programming and key information directly to neighborhoods, such as Vine City, ensuring that Atlantans not only feel connected to the games but also to the cultural community as a whole.

“We really thought hard to make sure that we have a true representation of our cultural ecosystem,” Jefferson said. We thought through all the nuances and thought about who we were missing and who represents Atlanta as a whole. We literally have everything. We just want people to feel like they’re coming to a house — a cultural house for Atlanta and the world.”

Discover more things to do around the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta.

Mary Welch is an award-winning writer who has reported on the maturity off Atlanta’s culinary and hospitality scene as well as its growth as a sophisticated international city. Her byline has been seen in local and national outlets such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Travelgirl, Global Atlanta, and American Lawyer covering topics such as travel, business, cars, law, hospitality and education. She co-authored a book with Chuck Leavell, the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and a Georgia tree farmer, on the future of the American forest.