MACON, GA. – The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a little over a year away, and Atlanta will play a large part in hosting the quadrennial international event for North America. On the other hand, the FIFA Club World Cup is only a week away, and a match between English Premier League giant Chelsea and Major League Soccer’s LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is scheduled for Monday, June 16.
The FIFA Club World Cup will bring 32 of the largest and most successful football clubs in the world to Atlanta, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Seattle, New Jersey, Miami, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Washington, D.C. to settle which is the best on the planet.
Atlanta will host several matches, and other cities in Georgia look to participate in the madness that is international soccer competition.
Enter Macon, the new home for LAFC training during the FIFA Club World Cup. Macon will also be the training site for a country’s national team during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, according to Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller.
“It’s a great day to be in Macon-Bibb County,” Miller said from a stage inside Hawkins Arena, on the campus of Mercer University. The arena is home to the Mercer Bears men’s and women’s basketball programs. “Macon-Bibb County is taking its place on the world’s stage like never before.”
On Tuesday, June 3, representatives from Mercer University, Visit Macon, the city’s and Bibb County’s visitors bureau, and Miller held a press conference to announce Macon’s contribution to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and 2026 FIFA World Cup. Even though the FIFA Club World Cup trophy wasn’t on stage at Hawkins Arena the way it was in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in April and March, Macon city officials and Visit Macon owned the moment.
“I am a very strong believer in what sports can do for a town,” Mercer University Athletic Director Jim Cole said.
The city of Macon, which is the county seat for Bibb County, the 16th largest county in the state of Georgia (population 157,284), is attempting to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime World Cup bid. It is reminiscent of when the 1996 Summer Olympic Games were announced in Atlanta in 1990. The city of Atlanta was changed forever. Maybe the same doesn’t happen for Macon, but this is a start.
“For the next several weeks, LAFC will call Macon home,” said Miller, who at two moments during the press conference held up a black LAFC jersey. “We want everyone to see Macon as the place it can be.”
Macon saw $11 million in economic impact from sports in 2024 and has already seen $12.5 million through the first five months of 2025, according to Gary Wheat, President & CEO of Visit Macon.
According to a release by Mercer University, there have been improvements to local parks, recreation centers, and pickleball facilities. Macon is home to the country’s largest indoor pickleball facility, Rhythm and Rally.
“We have made major strides in strengthening our sports tourism efforts, and Tuesday’s announcement will truly attract the world’s attention,” said Wheat. “We have seen recreational opportunities expand greatly for the people that live here, attract new tournaments and sports here, and so much more.”
Miller credited the collaboration with all parties involved with making the city better the reason why he was holding the LAFC jersey and celebrating on Tuesday.
“By working closely with great partners like Visit Macon and Mercer University, we are able to bring thousands of new people to our community,” Miller said.
Mercer University’s campus has several first-class athletic facilities and fields, and Cole believes there can be more opportunities to have professional clubs and franchises visit Macon’s hometown university.
“We are always looking for the opportunity to showcase our facilities and we cannot wait to host LAFC,” Cole said. “It’s wonderful to have them here and to have our athletes witness a first class club.”
Nothing like the FIFA Club World Cup to kick things off.
“We’re going to cheer on LAFC as our hometown team throughout the FIFA Club World Cup,” Miller said.
