With the FIFA World Cup 2026 just weeks away, Underground Atlanta is getting a last-minute glow-up. The board of Invest Atlanta has signed off on $925,000 to freshen up the above-ground gateways to the historic complex, focusing on Upper Alabama Street and the Peachtree Fountains Plaza. Those are the plazas, crosswalks and storefronts that channel visitors straight into Underground’s retail and entertainment hub.
According to Invest Atlanta, the money comes from Tax Allocation District (TAD) funds and is aimed at getting small businesses and public spaces ready for the World Cup crowds. Atlanta News First reported that a portion of the package is specifically earmarked for upgrades along Upper Alabama Street and at Peachtree Fountains Plaza.
Planned upgrades
The game plan for the facelift is not subtle. As outlined by Urbanize Atlanta, the work will bring in new public seating, upgraded lighting, shade structures and fresh landscaping. Murals at “gateway” crosswalks and window graphics are also on deck to dress up vacant storefronts so visitors are looking at color and energy instead of dark glass.
The upgrades are geared toward turning the area into a World Cup hangout zone. The plans from Urbanize Atlanta include a pop-up soccer pitch, digital screens for watching matches, a DJ stage with bistro seating, a Pryor Street build-out for an Underground Diner concept, and two food-truck pads on Upper Alabama Street.
Small-business push
The cash is not just for splashy plazas. According to Invest Atlanta, the package includes $250,000 in Small Business Improvement Grants, plus a Small Business World Cup Opportunity Fund with up to $500,000 in microgrants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The goal is to accelerate leasing and short-term activations so more spaces are open and earning when fans roll into town.
Invest Atlanta says Central Atlanta Progress will administer the microgrant program, specifically targeting independent, local businesses to help them capture World Cup visitor spending instead of watching it pass by.
Why this matters for downtown
City leaders are treating the World Cup as a once-in-a-generation audition for downtown. The upgrades at Underground are one piece of a broader effort to turn visiting fans into repeat customers and to funnel that energy into long-term neighborhood benefits. That strategy includes a proposed Downtown Enterprise Zone announced in April by Mayor Andre Dickens, as detailed by the City of Atlanta.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has noted that Atlanta is set to host eight World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a level of global attention that city officials say adds pressure to activate streets and plazas now rather than later.
What to watch for
According to Invest Atlanta and project leaders, this wave of work is just phase one of four planned stages to re-tenant Upper Alabama Street and Peachtree Fountains Plaza. The focus is on temporary activations and lease-ready improvements that will be in place in time for the tournament.
Underground officials have also talked up new dining options and a planned six-stall food hall expected to arrive in the coming weeks, according to Urbanize Atlanta. If it all comes together on schedule, World Cup visitors will not just be passing through Underground Atlanta, they will have a reason to stick around and spend.
