Local communities embracing global events

Delaney Tarr
Staff Writer

Dunwoody is tapping into its global sensibilities to gear up for the 2026 World Cup, aiming to draw in a whole new crowd and getting creative with how they do it.

Georgia as a whole understands what is coming. The FIFA World Cup is a global phenomenon, and with eight matches scheduled in Atlanta for 2026, locals are bracing for impact. Some have likened it to "several consecutive Super Bowls," while others draw comparisons to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, an event that fundamentally reshaped the city.

And they're probably right. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will transform Atlanta. Already, major developments like the Centennial Yards Entertainment District have emerged adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium downtown. The city is rolling out new creative signage and wayfinding systems, along with fresh approaches to advertising and employee uniforms.

It's all a push to prepare for an estimated 300,000 visitors in the region. In total, the 2026 World Cup is estimated to create a $1 billion economic impact in Atlanta, and not just within city limits.

Metro Atlanta cities such as Dunwoody are gearing up for their own tourism boost ahead of summer 2026. For these spots near the urban center, the focus is on attracting tourists by spreading out hotels, restaurants and entertainment offerings.

This is where Discover Dunwoody, the city's official destination marketing organization, comes in. Chief Marketing and Operating Officer Mark Galvin said the city has the potential to be a real hub during the 2026 festivities, even if it's located outside downtown Atlanta.

"We've got a lot of entertainment, we've got great restaurants, we've got great shopping and world-class hotels all within a small area right here," Galvin said.

He added that the city is targeting people coming to Georgia without tickets to a local game. They may visit just to be near the celebration, or they may have tickets to another U.S. match further away.

But how does a city outside the Interstate 285 perimeter get international tourists to leave Atlanta's festival-packed streets? According to Galvin, they get creative.

Like most convention and visitors bureaus, Discover Dunwoody's core mission centers on driving hotel occupancy. CVBs serve as the marketing arm for their destinations, working to attract visitors for conferences, sporting events or leisure travel who will fill hotel rooms and generate economic impact for the local community.

With the Consulate General of Argentina based in Dunwoody, Galvin saw a natural partnership opportunity to attract the crowds they envisioned.

They also connected with Passion Soccer Academy, a nonprofit serving Hispanic youth through soccer-based programming. The academy incorporates Argentine soccer training methods into its programs and draws inspiration from Pope Francis' teachings, according to the city. Discover Dunwoody has created special hotel room booking rates, with 5% of the profits going to Passion Soccer Academy to support the nonprofit.

In June, Dunwoody hosted a FIFA Club World Cup viewing party called "Viva la Copa" with the consulate and the nonprofit to test the relationship. "It was cool, and it gave us an opportunity to see how this would work and how we should market it," Galvin recalled.

Still, Dunwoody needed to get the word out about the incentive. Discover Dunwoody partnered with a number of Telemundo stations to market to Latino countries.

"They have helped us to connect to more people in the soccer world, in Mexico, Argentina and other Latino countries to let them know that they should book their stay in Dunwoody," Galvin said.

The city also hired advertising agency Rebel Fox to do creative print and digital ads. But Galvin is already looking at what the city can do to welcome tourists come 2026.

Dunwoody has a bevy of restaurants (46 new spots opened in three years) and plenty of shopping. Discover Dunwoody also wants to host match viewing parties.

Discover Dunwoody hopes the ongoing promotion will create even more jobs for creatives in the area. Local businesses and restaurants expect a boost in customers, and Galvin plans to hire an artist to put up a large mural in the city.

"We'll be leaning on somebody in the creative space to generate that mural," Galvin said.

He hopes for a large-scale "creative painting," with possible cutouts or animation involved. Each plan would bring a new artist into the fold and potential economic success. It's all ambitious, but Dunwoody is readying for the tourism rush, and Discover Dunwoody is already looking beyond the World Cup.

"The underrated portion is going to be what does this do to our own ability to stay connected to a Latino market after the World Cup," Galvin explained. "We think we'll end up with exposure to a market that we just didn't have a lot of exposure to before now."

The World Cup represents more than a temporary tourism spike for Dunwoody. It's a chance to forge lasting connections with communities that might not have considered the city before. While the immediate economic benefits are clear, the real success will be measured in relationships built and maintained long after the final whistle blows in 2026.

Galvin and his team at Discover Dunwoody understand this. Their partnership with Passion Soccer Academy isn't just about filling hotel rooms. It's about investing in local youth and demonstrating a genuine commitment to the Hispanic community. That authenticity could pay dividends for years to come, transforming Dunwoody from a suburban stopover into a destination with meaningful cultural ties.

As Atlanta prepares for its moment on the world stage, Dunwoody is writing its own playbook. The city is proving that you don't need to be in the spotlight to benefit from it. Sometimes the smartest move is to position yourself just outside the chaos, offering visitors a place to breathe, explore and feel welcomed. That's a strategy that extends far beyond any single sporting event.