By Al McRae, president, Bank of America Atlanta
They call it the beautiful game for a reason. At its highest level, the sport is art. The precise geometry of a pass toward the goal. The graceful curve of a corner kick.
Beyond physical aesthetics, the beauty of soccer is its ability to unite communities all over the world.
We’re now a few days away from FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches being played in Atlanta and 15 other cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament brings the world’s best teams – projected by various sources to be the largest sporting event ever – and will have a huge social and economic impact on our communities and others across North America.
Here in Atlanta, fans are in for a treat. Among the teams coming to Atlanta Stadium will be Spain vs. Cabo Verde, Czechia vs. South Africa, Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, Morocco vs. Haiti, and Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan, along with knockout-round games later in the tournament. With a packed schedule, Atlanta is set to be one of the World Cup’s premier host cities.
The World Cup arrives on our shore at an important time for the continued growth of the sport in America. Looking forward, national teams will take to the pitch again in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, and the US will co-host the Women’s World Cup in 2031.
You don’t have to go far to witness soccer’s immense popularity. Stop in at the Brewhouse Café in Little Five Points or Fado Irish Pub in Midtown when matches are on, and you’ll find fans packed in and cheering on their favorite clubs. Or head to places like Piedmont Park and you’ll likely see players of all ages and backgrounds. And coming soon, Bank of America, Street Soccer USA (SSUSA), and VISA) are opening a street soccer park in Atlanta as part of the host city festivities. The park features two professional-grade Bank of America fields, lighting for extended play, learning centers and flexible gathering spaces, and will expand access to soccer for all ages for years to come.
To speak soccer’s universal language all you need is a ball, an open space, and love for the game. That’s why BofA is working with U.S. Soccer and Soccer Forward Foundation on Soccer at Schools, which is designed to make soccer accessible to every school across the country by 2030.
The sport’s ability to create spaces and opportunities for everyone to share a common interest—the real beauty of the beautiful game—helps explain what institutions, including Bank of America, hope to achieve through support of the FIFA 2026 World Cup™.
The numbers tell the story:
- More than 270 million people play soccer worldwide.
- US Youth Soccer Association reports 3 million youth participate in organized soccer.
- American professional leagues continue to gain strength: since 2020, 10 American professional men’s and women’s professional league teams moved into new soccer-specific stadiums,
- Major League Soccer sponsorship revenue in 2025 rose an estimated 8% to $716 million over the previous year, and MLS claims 19 of the world’s 50 most valuable clubs.
- Meanwhile, Forbes estimates that the National Women’s Soccer League, which will welcome an expansion team in Atlanta in 2028, has an average franchise value of $200 million and is attracting high-level individual and institutional investors.
The global spectacle of the World Cup will bring major benefits to its host cities. Fans come to games and related events and spend money in and around stadiums, at nearby restaurants, bars, hotels, and retailers, all of which boost the local economy and create jobs.
According to Bank of America Institute, last year’s FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, a tournament among the world’s top club teams, drove a 7 % year-over-year rise in consumer spending in host zip codes, mainly on food and drink.
We expect this summer’s World Cup will have an even greater impact on host city economies. A study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates the boost to the US economy from the 2026 tournament will be around $17 billion.
According to Atlanta Metro Chamber, Atlanta is expected to benefit from a projected economic impact of more than $1 billion from matches here, with 40% of Atlanta’s job creation historically driven by indirect investment, a number that is expected to grow post-World Cup.
For all these reasons, social and fiscal alike, we are passionate believers in the benefits the World Cup will bring to our communities and our country. That’s why we are working to foster that spirit as the beautiful game’s signature event comes to our house this year. We happily welcome the rest of the world to join us for the party.
This is sponsored content.
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