Atlanta unveils human rights action plan ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

As the city prepares to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Atlanta leaders have unveiled a new Human Rights Action Plan designed to ensure the global event reflects the city's values of inclusion, dignity, and fairness.

The City of Atlanta announced the public launch of the ATL26 Human Rights Action Plan on Monday. It's a framework aimed at protecting human rights before, during, and after the tournament. The plan was led by the Mayor's Office of One Atlanta and formally adopted by the Atlanta City Council through Resolution 26-R-3106.

City leaders say the plan is meant to ensure that the world's largest sporting event benefits local communities and reflects Atlanta's commitment to equity and human rights.

"On behalf of the City of Atlanta, I'm pleased to support the Human Rights Action Plan prepared in connection with the FIFA World Cup 2026 coming to Atlanta," Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. "Atlanta is honored to welcome the world, and we recognize that hosting an event of this global scale brings both opportunity and responsibility."

Dickens said the plan ensures the tournament will be "a celebration of sport, culture and connection," while also reflecting the city's commitment to dignity, inclusion and respect for human rights.

The plan is built around a central idea: the World Cup should happen with Atlanta, not to Atlanta.

City officials said the framework was created through extensive community input and collaboration across city departments and organizations. The process included more than 75 hours of community engagement and participation from more than 25 organizations, including labor leaders, disability advocates, faith groups, immigrant-serving nonprofits, anti-trafficking organizations, youth groups and Atlanta residents.

Candace Stanciel, the city's chief impact officer, said those voices helped shape the plan.

"This Action Plan was built through partnership," Stanciel said. "Their voices shaped every section of this document, and their continued partnership will be essential to its success."

What is the City of Atlanta's Human Rights Action Plan?

The plan focuses on four key areas: inclusion and safeguarding, workers' rights, access to remedy and accountability. It also outlines several initiatives meant to leave lasting benefits for the city after the tournament ends.

Among them are programs aimed at supporting youth leadership opportunities, expanding career training in sports-related fields, strengthening protections for vulnerable populations and increasing access to supportive housing.

City leaders also say the plan will emphasize fair wages and workplace protections for workers connected to the tournament, with $17.50 an hour set as the baseline wage for FIFA-related employment coordinated by the city.

The plan also includes efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, expand language access, prevent human trafficking and create a unified complaint system for reporting concerns.

Atlanta officials say progress on the plan will be tracked through quarterly public reports, with a full Human Rights Impact Report released within six months after the tournament ends.

Dickens said the city views the plan as both a commitment and an opportunity.

"As the world turns its attention to Atlanta in 2026, we welcome this moment with humility and purpose," Dickens said. "This Human Rights Action Plan expresses our city's values, honors our history and supports a future where global celebration and human dignity move forward together."

Atlanta will host eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place across cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. City leaders say they hope the Human Rights Action Plan will help make Atlanta a model for hosting major global events while keeping community needs at the center of planning.