SEC Championship to remain in Atlanta through 2031
The Southeastern Conference Football Championship Game will be held in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium through at least 2031, it was announced Thursday by the SEC, AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA).
The agreement is an extension of the current contract that was set to expire in 2026. It also allows the SEC the option of exercising an additional five-year extension that could keep the game in Atlanta through 2036.
Atlanta has hosted the SEC Championship Game every year since 1994. The Georgia Dome was home to the game through 2016 and Mercedes-Benz Stadium has hosted the event since 2017. Saturday’s game between Alabama and Georgia will mark the 30th time Atlanta has hosted the SEC title game.
“The SEC Football Championship Game is one of the premier events in college sports and Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of the finest sports facilities on the globe, making Atlanta the perfect venue for our annual title game,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “We look forward to continuing a very positive relationship with Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Georgia World Congress Center as the home of our football championship.”
In addition to the SEC Football Championship Game, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the annual site of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Celebration Bowl, a championship game for the conferences of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and it serves as home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United.
“Commissioner Sankey and the SEC have been great partners and we are happy to ensure that this championship game remains in Atlanta and at Mercedes-Benz Stadium where it belongs,” said Rich McKay, CEO, AMB Sports and Entertainment.
“We are excited that Mercedes-Benz Stadium will continue to be the home of the SEC Football Championship,” says Tim Zulawski, president AMB Sports and Entertainment. “The SEC Championship is one of the marquee events on the college football calendar each season and we are proud to work with our partners at the SEC to ensure the title game remains a staple in Atlanta for many years to come.”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium has played host to the 2018 College Football Playoff Championship Game, 2018 MLS Cup and All-Star Game and Super Bowl LIII in 2019. It was scheduled to host the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four that was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is slated to host the 2025 CFP title game and 2026 FIFA World Cup games.
“Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s championship campus is the foremost destination for live events, including the nation’s premier collegiate football championship,” said GWCCA Executive Director Frank Poe. “This contract extension with the Southeastern Conference goes beyond the continuation of a strong partnership and a prestigious sporting event, it is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering compelling guest experiences for football fans across the Southeast while creating economic opportunities for the city of Atlanta and state of Georgia.”
“For three decades, Atlanta has been the home of the SEC Championship. Now, we have the honor of hosting this prestigious championship game through at least 2031,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “This is a testament to our ability to host large scale events—and all the small businesses, restaurants, service industry and hospitality workers who ensure that visiting Atlanta is a world-class experience. Thank you to everyone in the Atlanta community responsible for another big win for the new sports capital of the nation. “
About Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Opened in August 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a world-class sports and entertainment venue in downtown Atlanta and home to the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. The multi-purpose stadium was named the 2019 Sports Facility of the Year and is host to major sports and entertainment events, including the 2026 World Cup, the 2018 and 2025 College Football Playoff National Championships, the 2018 MLS Cup and Super Bowl LIII. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the first professional sports stadium in North America to achieve LEED Platinum Certification and the first stadium worldwide to achieve TRUE Platinum Certification for zero waste by the United States Green Building Council. To learn more, visit www.mercedesbenzstadium.com .
About the Southeastern Conference (SEC)
A pioneer in the integration of higher education and athletic competition, the Southeastern Conference is a leader on the national landscape for intercollegiate athletics in the 21st century. Since its formation in 1933, the SEC has achieved stature and stability by designating governing/voting power to the presidents of the member institutions. These university leaders determine the policies of the conference and through the years this involvement has been the principal source of strength in the evolution of the SEC. Throughout its history, the SEC has provided leadership on the vital issues facing intercollegiate competition. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have been in the SEC since its formation in 1933. The league has expanded twice, adding Arkansas and South Carolina in 1991, then Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012 and will expand a third time with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas beginning in July 2024. To learn more, visit www.SECsports.com .
About Georgia World Congress Center Authority
Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), a key driver for Georgia’s economy, is the largest combined convention, sports, and entertainment campus in the U.S. Established in 1971, GWCCA’s championship campus includes Georgia World Congress Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and opening in January 2024, Signia by Hilton Atlanta. To learn more about the No. 1 convention, sports, and entertainment destination in the world, visit www.gwcca.org .
Editor’s note: This is a press release from the SEC offices
