Atlanta aims to leverage World Cup to bolster business ties with Spain

“Sports has become a bridge that connects countries, culture and businesses,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told more than 100 civic and business dignitaries on Monday, hours before the Spain-Cape Verde kickoff.

Credit: Zachary Hansen / AJC

Credit: Zachary Hansen / AJC

“Let’s let sports be a useful tool for our investment, collaboration and connectivity,” he added, “so that we can continue to grow your country, our city and the presence that we have together.”

A summit between Georgia leaders and Spanish chamber of commerce partners took place at the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s offices and laid out the larger goals of playing host to the World Cup. As Georgia’s largest foreign partner among the city’s group-stage matchups, Spain has been the focus of Atlanta’s charm campaign to strengthen business ties.

About $1.7 billion in goods flowed between Spain and Georgia in 2024, according to data from the Georgia Department of Economic Development. That’s significantly more than the other countries playing group stage matches in Atlanta. Cape Verde, a chain of West African islands, had less than $90,000 of total trade with Georgia last year.

Spain is far from Georgia’s largest foreign partner. Tens of billions of dollars worth of commerce flow annually between Georgia and countries such as China, Germany and South Korea. Lizann Grupalo, Georgia’s deputy commissioner of international trade, said that doesn’t diminish what Spain already brings to the table nor the potential for future growth.

“To put that into perspective, $1.7 billion is enough to finance a world-class sports venue on the scale of the stadium that Spain will be playing in today,” she said ahead of Monday’s match. “It’s a reminder of just how significant and dynamic our economic relationship is.”

Spanish companies have invested more than $20 million in Georgia over the past five years, Grupalo said. She added that more than 18,000 visitors traveled from Spain to Georgia, either for business, leisure or as a stop to another destination — a spillover effect of serving as the home to the world’s busiest airport.

Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, in April visited Spain to connect with several companies that have Georgia investments.

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

She mentioned rubbing elbows with executives at Indra Group, Acciona and FlatironDragados, a trio of Spanish firms chosen as contractors on the $4.6 billion Ga. 400 express lanes project.

“This is obviously a match day, and we’re going to be rooting for the best team to win today,” Kirkpatrick said Monday. “But this is about building those long-lasting connections that help us grow over the next 30 years and grow the relationship between Spain and the U.S.”

Ángeles Moreno Bau, Spanish ambassador to the United States, said the Atlanta business community’s advocacy over the decades is another thing they have in common. She called it Atlanta’s “moral legacy,” stretching back to civil rights and Martin Luther King Jr. — a legacy questioned currently by voting rights activists amid a muted corporate response to forthcoming partisan redistricting fights.

Moreno pointed to Spain’s migrant worker population. Nearly 14% of the country’s workforce has migrant origins. Atlanta as a gateway American city draws comparisons, she added.

“We consider that inclusion is important, that it is important to fight against injustice, racism, discrimination and violence,” she said. “We feel very, very close to Atlanta. It is a great opportunity today to stress that connection.”