Atlanta develops human rights action plan for 2026 FIFA World Cup

A table with pens and sticky notes in front of empty boards.
FIFA is requiring host committees, like Atlanta, to develop a human rights action plan to protect workers and attendees in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. (Marlon Hyde/WABE)

FIFA is introducing a new protocol requiring host committees, like Atlanta, to develop a human rights action plan to protect workers and attendees in preparation for next year’s World Cup tournament. And city officials are opening the doors for the public to chime in.

Inside Atlanta’s City Hall, Chief Equity Officer Candace Stanciel is hosting a sort of brainstorming session with several community partners to build the city’s human rights action plan.

Colorful sticky notes on a board.
The City of Atlanta held a session to field ideas for its human rights action plan for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. (Marlon Hyde/WABE)


During the gathering, dozens of people write suggestions like “Protect workers from ICE” on sticky notes and place them on poster boards. Stanciel says that once Atlanta submits their plan to FIFA, the organization will look at all 13 cities’ plans together, and then they will release them all together at the beginning of 2026.