Showcase Atlanta: The World Came to Atlanta. Atlanta Showed Up.

The World Came to Atlanta. Atlanta Showed Up.

Showcase Atlanta closes the tournament with more than 1,900 small businesses onboarded, more than $1.5 million invested and neighborhood celebrations citywide

ATLANTA-Showcase Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens' citywide initiative to ensure the world's biggest events happen with Atlanta and not to Atlanta, closed out the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament month by delivering on the commitment it was created around: putting the city's small businesses, neighborhoods and culture at the center of a global moment.

(Photos and b-roll from across the summer can be found here.)

Since January, Showcase Atlanta has onboarded more than 1,900 small businesses into its Vendor Directory, connected more than 500 businesses to vending and contracting opportunities, invested $1,222,500 in grants and business resources, and helped neighborhoods across the city host their own celebrations, whether residents had a match ticket or not.

The month closed with the Celebration of Soccer & Sound on July 19 in Piedmont Park, a free public event sponsored by AFCRA, presented by Delta Air Lines and delivered by UPS, produced with ONE Musicfest and headlined by Ludacris, with a championship match watch party across three viewing areas. Thousands of attendees gathered throughout the day to celebrate and support the nearly seventy local small businesses on site. Vendors reported steady sales throughout the day.

Showcase Atlanta's infrastructure became a shared resource for institutions across the city. Showcase-supported businesses, including Boost certificate graduate Parlay Savory Saloon, moved from the Showcase vendor directory to vending at the fan festival at Centennial Olympic Park. Showcase partnered with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on its business expo, and with Atlanta Beltline, Inc. on Beltline Fest. Showcase Atlanta also sponsored Old Fourth Ward USA Kickoff Fest and Atlanta Cultural Exchange, where Showcase-supported small businesses vended, such as Eleven45 Candles, SOKA, Yacht Club Access and OOOG. Partner programming with Square, Google and Verizon connected business owners to tools, training and customers throughout the tournament.

"We are so grateful to have been part of the action while FIFA was in Atlanta. We went through the Showcase program, got added to the vendor directory, became Large Scale Event Certified and implemented all of the strategies and tools gained while vending at the FIFA Fan Festival as part of the Taste of Atlanta activation," said PARLAY Savory Saloon Executive Officer Latrice Rochelle.

Showcase Atlanta's promise extended to every resident. Five local artists created a series of six commemorative pins given away at events throughout the tournament, each with a back card spotlighting Atlanta small businesses and attractions, including the 404 pin by George F. Baker III, honoring legacy businesses, and the Lemon Pepper Stepper by Sanithna, celebrating the city's wing culture. Capture the Flag ATL, a citywide scavenger hunt with 9 flag locations, was designed to send residents and visitors into neighborhoods across the city to discover small businesses beyond the downtown core. 17 Miles United connected hubs across town in partnership with 8 local run clubs, a moving portrait of Atlanta as one connected city on June 13 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium to Ponce City Market. And a community ticket program gave seniors, youth and neighborhood residents the chance to attend the historic matches in Atlanta.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 1,900+ small businesses onboarded through the Showcase Atlanta Vendor Directory
• 500+ businesses connected to vending, contracting and partnership opportunities
• $1,222,500 invested in grants, programs and business resources: $100,000 in Digital Marketing Grants, $102,500 in Google Ad Credits, $30,000 in Youth Entrepreneurship, $500,000 for the Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund, in partnership with Invest Atlanta and Downtown Atlanta, Inc., and $865,858.83 in Community Activation and Business Programs
• 390+ vending opportunities created across Showcase activations, including Global Grub Alley, the Atlanta Cultural Exchange and the Celebration of Soccer & Sound. Many businesses vended multiple times across the tournament.
• 54 food trucks engaged through Global Grub Alley, with nearly $250,000 in sales reported by participating vendors over the 16 activation days.
• 30+ workshops delivered, engaging 1,000+ entrepreneurs in marketing, AI, cybersecurity, event readiness, digital commerce and workforce development
• 2,100+ job seekers connected to employers through the Workforce Expo
• 8 young entrepreneurs, ages 16 to 21, supported through the Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator. Along with funding from Invest Atlanta, each young founder received training from Boost and the Mayor's Office of ONE Atlanta, mentoring and vending opportunities throughout the tournament
• 8 community watch parties funded through Community Engagement Grants, in Cascade Heights, Summerhill, South Bend Park, Little 5 Points, Perry Park, Chastain Park, Elizabeth Baptist Church and City of Refuge on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. Grant winners reported crowds ranging from 150 to more than 800 at individual events. Each grantee was required to utilize community businesses within their activations.
• 10 business and merchant associations engaged, and 8 corporate partners activated
• 13 small businesses received micro-grants through the Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund, a partnership with Invest Atlanta and Downtown Atlanta Inc. The program helped local entrepreneurs open storefronts in vacant downtown spaces during the tournament.
• 8 activation days for Atlanta Cultural Exchange, which hosted over 15,000 visitors for free cultural programming, including 300+ artists and creatives, as well as a Showcase Atlanta Vendor Village.
• The partnership with Invest Atlanta also connected small businesses to capital. Invest Atlanta closed six microloans totaling $63,000 through its Atlanta Readiness Loan Fund, along with a $50,000 loan from its Community Loan Fund to Kick Sweets Treats, a soccer-themed dessert shop steps from Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta.
• 1,750 pins given throughout the city across several activations that shone the light on local artists and local businesses
• 190,625 platform-reported impressions from a targeted Meta campaign in drive-market states, inviting regional visitors to come for the matches and stay for Atlanta small businesses, with 2.5M total organic impressions
• 1.58B total earned media reach, which focused on amplifying small businesses or communities throughout the city
• 68 small local businesses vended at A Celebration of Soccer & Sound in Piedmont Park on July 19

QUOTE SHEET

"My vision to make sure that the World Cup happened with Atlanta and not to Atlanta was accomplished in every way. I'm proud of the Showcase team and all partners and residents for locking into the Group Project."

Mayor Andre Dickens, City of Atlanta

"Showcase Atlanta started with a simple promise: this moment would happen with Atlanta, not to Atlanta. Our small businesses, our neighborhoods and our culture were not on the sidelines this summer. They were the show."

Lamar Stewart, Interim Executive Director, Showcase Atlanta

"Major events should create more than unforgettable moments. They should create lasting opportunities. Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) was proud to support Showcase Atlanta because it reflects our commitment to ensuring that recreation, sports, culture, and community investment create opportunities that strengthen neighborhoods and leave a meaningful legacy for the people of Atlanta long after the final match is played."

Kerry Stewart, Executive Director, Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority

"Partnering with Showcase Atlanta and UPS during the FIFA World Cup was an incredible opportunity for F&W Style. The activation not only connected us with thousands of visitors from around the world but also contributed to a 20% increase in sales, proving the power of strategic partnerships and global events."

Alexandria Hill, Owner of F&W Style

"Being a part of the Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator was not just about receiving funding or vending opportunities; it was about spreading the mission and vision of my business: SOKA. I am proud to say that I have made $4,000 in sales and gained over 200 followers throughout this experience."

Devin Mitchell, Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator Grantee and Founder of SOKA

"I attended the initial meeting with the Beltline Coalition and the City of Atlanta about World Cup vending opportunities for small businesses. I followed Showcase Atlanta on Instagram and as they began sharing information, and I jumped on it right away! Showcase Atlanta did an amazing job disseminating all the information on Instagram - the deadlines, qualifications, and requirements were crystal clear. I simply followed their lead, responded to their emails, and was selected as a vendor. To think that just following along on Instagram could lead to me being a vendor at Showcase Atlanta is pretty dope."

Lenny Ross III, CMeO of 5 Stripes Merch

"The Google AI and Gemini training completely changed how I approach my business. Before this program, I had never fully leveraged Google Business Profile or Google Ads. With Google's guidance, I optimized my business profile, launched my first ad campaigns, and gained the confidence to use Gemini to streamline everything from website design to marketing for my 'Take Atlanta Home' campaign. One of my favorite moments was using Gemini to create a promotional video for my Georgia Peach candle on the very first try through effective prompting. That candle has been featured on Fox 5 News and is owned by the Mayor of Atlanta, making the campaign even more meaningful. The tools and training have helped me think bigger, work smarter, and position Eleven45 Candle Co. for future growth. I'm excited to continue using Google AI to expand my business and create unforgettable customer experiences."

Zhonvieve Ellison, Founder, Eleven45 Candle Co.

"The epitome of 'With.' It's not about who did what and who was in charge, but about bringing people together for good in the name of community celebration."

Devron Woodruff, City of Refuge, host of a Showcase Atlanta community watch party

"Behind every number in this report is a business owner who got a fair shot at a global stage. That was the assignment, and Atlanta's entrepreneurs delivered."

Kelsey Maynor, Director of Small Business Engagement, Showcase Atlanta

Showcase Atlanta thanks, first and always, the people of Atlanta, who opened their city to the world and showed up for one another all summer. Thank you to Arthur M. Blank, to Carol Tome and UPS, and to Delta Air Lines and AFCRA for the investment and partnership that made this work possible. Thank you to Mayor Andre Dickens, COO LaChandra Burks, and the entire city staff. Thank you to the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Rescue, Atlanta Department of Transportation, the Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Piedmont Park Conservancy for keeping every event safe and welcoming. Thank you to the community organizations that co-hosted watch parties and neighborhood activations across the city, and to the small businesses and vendors whose energy powered every one of them. And thank you to the artists who gave Atlanta its soundtrack, including Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Pastor Troy, The BoykinZ, FAMU Marching 100 Alumni Band, Red Sample Band, DJ Kash, DJ Florista, DJ Storym, DJ Jay Envy, Rasta Root and more.

Showcase Atlanta's vendor directory, training programs and neighborhood partnerships continue beyond this tournament. Atlanta is scheduled to host conferences, college football games and Super Bowl LXII in February 2028, and the businesses, associations and community networks built this year are the foundation for what comes next.

Showcase Atlanta thanks the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority, Presenting Sponsor Delta Air Lines and UPS, Silver Sponsor Arrive and Bronze Sponsor Flock Safety. Google is recognized for its support of the Digital Marketing Grant program. ONE Musicfest is recognized as production partner for the Celebration of Soccer & Sound.

ABOUT SHOWCASE ATLANTA

Showcase Atlanta is a nonprofit, created by Mayor Andre Dickens, built on a simple and powerful conviction that major global events should happen with Atlanta and not to Atlanta. Through intentional activations, such as neighborhood kickoffs, international delegation receptions and small business readiness tools, Showcase Atlanta creates pathways for residents, entrepreneurs and community organizations to participate in, and be celebrated on, the world stage. Showcase Atlanta is made possible through the commitment of partners, including the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority; Presenting Sponsor, Delta Air Lines; Delivered by UPS; Silver Sponsor, Arrive; and Bronze Sponsor, Flock Safety. For more information, visit ShowcaseAtlanta.com.

You can learn more about Showcase Atlanta at showcaseatlanta.com/world-cup-2026