Augusta was on the welcome mat as the first round of games in Atlanta for FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off this week.
Explore Georgia, the tourism arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, created “Georgia, The Whole Day Through” at the World Congress Center. As visitors walk through the front door, they will spot a quintessentially Augusta display.
A mini-golf course. Tourism staff got a visit from a famous couple.
“Some people just grab a club, grab a scorecard, grab a ball,” Karen Davis, Chief Marketing Officer at Destination Augusta, told ABD.
One of the first people to hit the links was Gov. Brian Kemp, with First Lady Marty Kemp.
Davis added that the golf balls provided for players have a unique feature.
“Some of our golf balls actually are branded Augusta, and as people go throughout the golf course, there are QR codes about different things about Augusta that they can learn about.”
Davis said one of the holes is “Prayer Putt,” a nod to the famous Amen Corner at Augusta National Golf Club. Others draw attention to Augusta’s downtown attractions, Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, and the Savannah River, along with artistic and culinary hotspots.
Augusta is featured predominantly on the Explore Georgia webpage with a photo of the James Brown Mural. It is one of the ways the department is highlighting the rich culture and attractions in cities across the Peach State. From the main page, visitors can access the site added for the FIFA visitors.
“It’s perfect. We’re the third largest city in the state, and it’s exciting for us at Destination Augusta to really feel that we are a big deal as an overall destination,” said Davis. “To be recognized as a force within the state, and to have the opportunity to put Augusta on the world stage one more time, shows that growth.”`
There are two days between each FIFA match in Atlanta. Davis said those are prime days to have soccer fans plan a trip along Interstate 20. But the goal is to reach two different audiences.
“We know that we are a great driving destination from Atlanta, so we hope they come and explore Augusta,” she said. “But the other audience is those that live in the metro Atlanta area. Helping them think about how they can really learn more about the rest of their state and discover the state that they live in, and that there are a whole lot of fun things to do outside of the Atlanta metro area.”
Davis spent last week in Atlanta, setting up the Augusta display at the World Congress Center. As she returned to Augusta this week, she said the excitement was building in Atlanta with fans arriving. It was turning into a sea of colorful soccer jerseys, representing the teams coming to the Peach State.
She also had the opportunity to see how visitors responded to the Destination Augusta exhibit near Fan Fest.
“The one thing I’ve just been so proud of is when people see what we’ve set up there specifically for Augusta, it makes them smile, it’s so inviting, and there have been no hesitations for people to just grab a putter and a ball and start playing,” she said. “That’s exactly what you want to see in a marketing display. One that feels welcoming and fun, and people can’t wait to just go try it out. So, I feel like we’ve succeeded there.”
Learn more about how the state is rolling out the red carpet at: https://exploregeorgia.org/fifa-world-cup-26-georgia.
