FIFA President Gianni Infantino has underscored FIFA’s commitment to making football even more accessible to future generations of girls and boys on a tour of Atlanta, United States – one of 11 US cities that will stage matches at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ between 14 June and 13 July.

FIFA’s new premier club competition will feature the best 32 clubs and some of the finest footballers in the game, capturing the imaginations of young fans worldwide. Football will return to North America 12 months later to build on the FIFA Club World Cup’s legacy and inspire myriad more youngsters as the FIFA World Cup 26™ takes centre stage across 16 Host Cities in Canada, Mexico and the US - Atlanta included.

During his visit to The Gate City, the FIFA President toured the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will host six matches at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and eight FIFA World Cup 26 fixtures. He also met with Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, Atlanta Falcons chairman Arthur Blank and David Gold, president of the US arm of Hisense, the electronics multinational which, in October 2024, became the first Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup.

“A big thank you to Mayor Andre Dickens for your support and alignment with FIFA as we host two tournaments of footballing and social significance. My thanks also to Arthur Blank, a person who has done laudable work for the city and for our great sport,” said Mr Infantino, before witnessing first-hand the exemplary work of Atlanta non-profit organisation Soccer In the Streets, which provides sports-based youth development programmes in low-income neighbourhoods.

“I was pleased to also have an opportunity to visit Soccer In the Streets, who are doing impactful work by leveraging football to help children in the community. The FIFA Club World Cup aims to further such causes through its USD 1 million commitment to each host city, including Atlanta,” the FIFA President explained, highlighting the game-changing FIFA legacy contribution that will ensure the social and sporting impact of FIFA’s flagship club tournament is felt locally for years to come. “Children are our future, and we will continue making our game more accessible to them.”

Accompanied by FIFA Senior Football Advisor Youri Djorkaeff, a FIFA World Cup 1998 winner with France, and Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™-winning coach with the US in 2015 and 2019, Mr Infantino also stopped off at Atlanta’s Centennial Park. The 22-acre downtown public space will be the site of the city’s official FIFA Fan Fest at the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and another colourful symbol of the newly expanded 48-team competition’s enduring legacy.

“What we want to do with the (FIFA) World Cup – whether it’s the clubs or the national teams - is to win, to unite, to bring people together,to bring people to spend time in the city and to pass a good moment,” the FIFA President said. “And I think Atlanta has everything to perform in a great venue.”