Love Georgia Sports? Come to the Peach State

Georgia sports teams aren’t just popular, they’re a full-on passion. And with 20-plus professional and minor league teams, powerhouse college programs, immersive athletic experiences – and the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026™ coming to Atlanta – our state is where serious fans come to watch (and roar!). Experience this summer’s electrifying celebration of soccer under the brightest global spotlight, then return year after year for unending competition.

Explore iconic Georgia sports events and venues

This summer, cheers will rip through the air at Atlanta’s eight World Cup games, including a semifinal in mid-July. The city is no stranger to high-caliber events, having hosted three past Super Bowls – and a fourth coming in 2028. And each December, the streets brim with spirited fans making their way to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the SEC Football Championship Game – arguably the most important event in the South.

Take in lush fairways and white sand traps shaded by towering pines in Augusta as golfers compete for the coveted green jacket of the Masters Tournament. At South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus – site of the 1996 Olympic Women’s Fastpitch Softball Competition and the 2019 USA Softball International Cup – top national players wind up and let loose whip-fast pitches. Get swept up in the excitement of dragon boat and crew races as oars rhythmically slice the water at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, also a 1996 Summer Olympics site.

Meet Georgia's pro sports powerhouses

Georgia’s professional sports lineup is packed, and the biggest teams play in Atlanta, making it easy to hit multiple games in one visit. Root for the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, where every crack of the bat could mean a home run. Or, sing along to boisterous chants at Atlanta United FC soccer matches held in Mercedes-Benz Stadium; if that’s not your kind of football, the venue is also home field for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Plan an early arrival at The Home Depot Backyard to revel in pregame tailgating festivities with locals.

NBA fans cheer as the Atlanta Hawks dunk and alley-oop at State Farm Arena. Meanwhile, the Dream – Atlanta’s WNBA team – dazzles with deep threes from Gateway Center Arena at College Park. For a different kind of courtside fun, catch an Atlanta Vibe volleyball match at Gas South Arena in Duluth.

Feel the college game day rush in Georgia

Athens is the territory of the University of Georgia (UGA) Bulldogs, who won back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships in 2022 and 2023. Sipping a local beer and savoring fall breezes amid a sea of red-and-black-clad fans all-out screaming, “Go Dawgs!” is an unbeatable experience. And UGA has more than football on its roster: catch the Georgia GymDogs women’s gymnastics team in action late winter through early spring; they’ve tumbled their way to more NCAA titles than any other team in the sport’s history.

In Statesboro, fall means the Georgia Southern University Eagles rule the football field. Or, in Atlanta, join thunderous crowds bellowing in support of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets or Georgia State University Panthers. Both schools’ basketball teams have made appearances in the NCAA’s March Madness, as have the Kennesaw State University Owls.

Discover where Georgia sports legends were made

Breaking barriers and records are just part of our game. After all, this is the land in which Hank Aaron cracked his 715th home run, shattering Babe Ruth’s 39-year streak at the top of the leaderboard. And among the many athletes born here are baseball’s Ty Cobb, boxing’s Sugar Ray Robinson, and track and field’s Alice Coachman – the first Black woman in the world to win an Olympic gold medal.

At the Ty Cobb Museum in the center fielder’s birthplace of Royston, learn about Cobb’s life via a colorful array of Coca-Cola promotional materials, bats engraved with career milestones, and curated photo collections. In Dawsonville, discover where stock car racing began – and where the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame keeps the legacy alive. Race fans can geek out over custom and classic cars, channel their inner Chase Elliott in race simulators, and trace NASCAR’s moonshine-fueled roots to Georgia’s winding back roads.

Root for Georgia minor league and exhibition teams

If Cracker Jacks and line drives are your idea of a good time, the Braves aren’t the only sluggers. Georgia lays claim to four Minor League Baseball teams – the Columbus Clingstones, Gwinnett Stripers, Augusta GreenJackets, and Rome Emperors – giving you a grand slam of options.

In Savannah, treat yourself by seeing a Banana Ball game on home turf, courtesy of the viral sensations Savannah Bananas and Party Animals. They bring a bold, no-rules twist on baseball, blowing fans away with choreographed dancing, on-base backflips, and even a moonwalking umpire. Tip: Banana Ball requires some planning by entering a ticket lottery. In the past, the lottery opened in early October and closed about a month later.

Heated rivalries clash on icy rinks at Macon Mayhem hockey games as three periods of action keep you on the edge of your seat. For more thrills with chills, check out the Athens Rock Lobsters at the new Akins Ford Arena or see the Savannah Ghost Pirates at Enmarket Arena. Tip: the Ghost Pirates are the minor league affiliate of the Florida Panthers, who won the 2025 Stanley Cup, taking home the prize for a second straight season.

Burn rubber and swing paddles in Georgia

Each October, Braselton puts on the Motul Petit Le Mans – four days of endurance races in which drivers intensely battle it out in Porsches, McLarens, Aston Martins, and other mechanical marvels. Take a break from the exhilaration of the chase at the Fan Zone, where you can grab a bite to eat, race laps in a simulator, and shop for souvenirs.

If the simulator isn’t enough of a ride for you, check out Porsche Experience Center Atlanta. Select your favorite model before hitting the track to revel in the power and precision these cars hide beneath their shiny hoods.

Pickleball’s popularity is ever-growing, too. If you’re a fan of this charmingly named sport, don’t miss a visit to Macon’s Rhythm and Rally Sports and Events, one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in the world. Smash and volley across 32 courts or sign up for their “New to the Game” class to learn the ropes from top-notch instructors.

Chase sports action year-round across Georgia: be part of the energy that makes us the ultimate state for fans in every kind of jersey.