Atlanta launches ATL26 Human Rights Action Plan outlining safeguards, wages, grievance channels and public reporting
City adopts rights framework as World Cup preparations intensify
The City of Atlanta has publicly launched the ATL26 Human Rights Action Plan, a framework intended to guide how the city prepares for and hosts FIFA World Cup 2026 activities while addressing risks commonly associated with mega-events. The plan was posted March 9, 2026, and was formally adopted by the Atlanta City Council through Resolution 26-R-3106.
City officials describe the document as a citywide blueprint covering protections for vulnerable populations, labor standards tied to event-related work, complaint mechanisms, and post-event accountability measures. The plan also sets out a list of “Legacy Impact Initiatives” that the city says are designed to extend beyond the tournament itself.
Four pillars: inclusion, labor protections, remedies, and accountability
The action plan is organized around four pillars:
Inclusion and safeguarding, including child safety measures, accessibility for people with disabilities, expanded language access, human trafficking prevention efforts, support for unsheltered residents, protections for peaceful assembly, data privacy and digital rights considerations, and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts.
Workers’ rights, including commitments to fair wages, safe workplaces, freedom of association, wage theft prevention, and workforce development and training connected to FIFA-related activity coordinated by the city.
Access to remedy, including a unified grievance reporting portal to be established with FIFA, and a defined role for the City’s Human Relations Commission as an anti-discrimination mechanism with multilingual access to complaint systems.
Accountability and monitoring, including metrics for initiatives, quarterly public progress reports, and a post-games human rights impact report to be published within six months of the tournament’s conclusion.
Baseline wage and measurable targets
One of the plan’s specific numeric commitments is a $17.50 per hour minimum wage described as the baseline for FIFA-related employment coordinated by the City of Atlanta.
The plan also sets measurable targets across eight legacy initiatives. They include convening more than 15 partner organizations through multiple ecosystem meetings in 2026 and publishing a public directory of resources; enrolling more than 200 young people in leadership and development programs with a 75% completion goal; hosting three sports-career exposure events reaching 150 participants; and publishing a citywide Accessibility Readiness Kit by May 2026.
On housing and public safety-related pressures, the plan includes targets of 500 permanent supportive housing units and 2,000 households rehoused across 2025–2026, as well as training more than 1,000 people by June 2026 through anti-human trafficking programs designed for business and community audiences.
Transit and venue expectations
The plan includes supporting materials and letters of support, including from the region’s transit provider, describing preparations focused on accessible and inclusive transportation. Within the plan’s scope, venue and city operations are framed around setting expectations for conduct, safety, and inclusion during tournament-related activities.
The plan’s stated guiding principle is that the World Cup “should happen with Atlanta, and not to Atlanta.”
City officials say development of the plan included more than 75 hours of community engagement and participation from more than 25 organizations, alongside work across multiple city offices and departments. The city has committed to quarterly updates and a post-event impact report to assess implementation and outcomes.