Rain from tropical system could drench Atlanta during World Cup match

Atlanta is in for some serious rain, causing flood risks and possible disruptions for fans heading downtown for the FIFA World Cup game and Fan Festival.

Multiple rounds of heavy downpours are expected today through Friday evening, and Georgia is under a Level 1 of 5 threat for severe thunderstorms Thursday, the National Weather Service advises. By Saturday, North and Middle Georgia could see up to 4 inches of rain, and certain areas could even exceed 5 inches.

The Weather Service warns rainfall rates may exceed 3 inches an hour at times, though exactly when that could happen between Thursday through Friday evening remains uncertain.

The rain is coming from the first named storm of the season — Tropical Storm Arthur — that was expected to make landfall Wednesday evening on the coast of Texas and Louisiana. That western side of the Gulf was predicted to get the worst of the rainfall, but remnants of the tropical system will continue to track eastward through Friday. The Weather Service is anticipating heavy rainfall associated with that movement.

The stormy weather, which also prompted a flood watch from 8 a.m. today through 2 a.m. Saturday for parts of North and Middle Georgia, comes as Atlanta gears up to host its second World Cup match. Czechia plays South Africa at noon today at Atlanta Stadium, the home of the Atlanta Falcons.

It’s unlikely roads will be flooded and chaotic by the time fans are arriving at the stadium, but pedestrians and drivers should be cautious on their way out. Motorists should not attempt to go through flooded roads. Seek out alternate routes or turn around if needed, the Weather Service advises.

At the FIFA Fan Festival, gates at Centennial Olympic Park will open at 9 a.m. and programing runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday’s festival activities were canceled because of “severe weather” impacting the downtown area. Officials had not announced any changes to programming or cancellations by Wednesday afternoon.

A FIFA World Cup 2026 Atlanta Host Committee spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that officials are always monitoring weather conditions and said organizers will share any updates on social media.

Additional showers coming Friday are from another system that will be parked over the northeast U.S. and eastern Canada, according to the Weather Service. That system has the potential to dump another round of heavy rainfall in the area either early Friday morning or in the afternoon. Moisture lingering from the Gulf’s tropical system still will be causing some activity in the region.

That has caused “a bit more uncertainty” about how Friday “plays out, especially given the complexities of the previous day,” the agency acknowledged.

Delta Air Lines is allowing travelers flying from Thursday through Saturday extra flexibility to change their travel plans.