ATLANTA — Soccer fans from across the world will visit Atlanta in 2026 for eight World Cup matches, including a semifinal match, that will all happen at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Atlanta Sports Council said this is expected to be the biggest World Cup in World Cup history -- and for the matches Atlanta will host, it will be like eight Super Bowls in a month.
“We’ve got the rail line coming directly downtown to the stadium from the airport and we've got everybody in the world easily able to get to Atlanta," Atlanta Sports Council President Dan Corso said.
Corso said these reasons make Atlanta a good pick for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Once soccer fans from across the globe get downtown, Corso said it's easy to walk around.
"It becomes very valuable in the planning process. It becomes very efficient,” Corso said.
However, for people staying more than a quick walk away, MARTA is a good option to use. MARTA has two rail stations steps away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and said they’ll be ready to host the world in 2026.
To help with the huge influx of riders, they plan to assign ambassadors to the busiest stations to help assist people as well as place load-and-go teams to help people get on and off the trains. That will also help keep platforms from getting overcrowded.
MARTA said they’ll also put more trains into service before and after the matches and during other related World Cup events. They will also increase their MARTA Police presence to help the expected crowds safely make it through.