Planning and preparation for the largest sporting and social event in history has advanced in Atlanta, Georgia, with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host City welcoming over 300 international delegates for the quadrennial pre-tournament Team Workshop.

Kicking off on Tuesday, 3 March in alignment with the 100 Days to Go milestone, the two-day Team Workshop provides operational team representatives with various forums to exchange with their FIFA and national team counterparts.

From match organisation to team facilities, team services and logistics, safety and security, broadcast, media and commercial matters and more, the intense but impactful days play an important part in furthering or forging the connections, knowledge and understanding required to deliver the greatest show on Earth.

“This Team Workshop in advance of the FIFA World Cup 2026 marks a vital milestone. It is our final opportunity for a detailed, in-person operational briefing and exchange before the tournament begins,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the delegates via video message on day one.

“I can assure you that all of us at FIFA are preparing for the largest sporting and social event in history and we are determined to provide a top, top-class environment for every single team, player, official and Member Association.

“You [the team representatives] are in Atlanta for the next few days because you represent the operational heart of your respective Member Associations. While the world often focuses on the names on the team sheet, we know that the success of the most inclusive FIFA World Cup ever depends on the diligence and expertise of the staff working behind the scenes.”

FIFA World Cup 2026 is poised to shatter records on and off the pitch. More than 6.5 million fans will fill the stadiums across the 16 Host Cities, with over 6 billion expected to engage with the 104 matches staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States via various media.

FIFA’s Chief Event Operations Officer, Heimo Schirgi, explained that the success of the tournament will come down to a united, team approach across the three host countries.

“This is the first FIFA World Cup that is fully under FIFA’s control. So we have here with us in Atlanta the TLOs (Team Liaison Officers), TSLOs (Team Security Liaison Officers), the venue managers, the match directors, everyone that you [the teams] will be in contact with,” he said.

“We have huge staffing operations on the FIFA side and we are really detailed in all aspects, from logistics to safety, security, transport [and] travel.

“But it’s only possible with a good combination of a decentralised approach. We will have teams of people in all the cities who are taking care of operations on the ground, but also a central operations centre in Miami that will monitor everything to do with the tournament. This combination of local resources, good partnerships and a central command will help us lay the platform so you [the teams] can focus on your best performance.”

Various sessions at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Team Workshop were also streamed live to team representatives unable to join in person, while all participating teams will continue to receive tailored one-to-one support in the build-up to and throughout the tournament from their assigned FIFA counterparts.