Sports

Atlanta’s Game Face: Sports in the Capital of the South

Sports fans in Atlanta have much to enjoy with a multitude of major league teams to see in action. At the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons “Rise Up” and 2018 MLS Cup champions Atlanta United FC, compete on the soccer pitch. At State Farm Arena, men’s professional basketball team, the NBA Hawks, take the court. Women’s professional basketball team, WNBA Dream, play at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Just north of Downtown, the Atlanta Braves step up to bat at Truist Park. The South is known for turning college football into a religion, so it was only fitting that Atlanta became the site for the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. Atlanta was also home to the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996, which catapulted the city into international prominence. Atlanta has also been selected to host matches during the 2026 World Cup.

Fast facts

• Atlanta is home to five professional sports franchises:
  • Atlanta United FC (MLS)
  • Braves (MLB)
  • Dream (WNBA)
  • Falcons (NFL)
  • Hawks (NBA)
• Two Division I NCAA programs are located in Atlanta:
  • Georgia State (Sun Belt Conference)
  • Georgia Tech (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Atlanta’s history includes hosting large-scale sporting events:
  • 1996 Centennial Olympic Games
  • Four NCAA Men’s Final Four tournaments – 1977, 2002, 2007 and 2013
  • Three Super Bowl matchups – XXVIII (1994), XXXIV (2000), LIII (2019)
  • College Football Playoff National Championship (2018)
  • 28 consecutive SEC Championship games; current contract will keep the game in Atlanta through 2027

Annual events

• Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (February)
• AJC Peachtree Road Race (July)
• BB&T Atlanta Open (July/August)
• Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game (September)
• The Tour Championship (September)
• SEC Championship (December)
• Celebration Bowl (December)
• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (December/January)