FIFA World Cup 26™ In Review
Atlanta — Aug 07, 2026
The FIFA World Cup 26™ has come to an end! Atlanta was fortunate to host the dramatic semifinal, alongside packed viewing parties across the region. We want to take a second to celebrate the teams at MARTA, ATLDOT, GDOT, Atlanta Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Georgia World Congress Center, and Atlanta Stadium for all the work to not only host 8 matches and 19 packed days of Fan Fest, but to do so without slowing down metro Atlanta.
What was the final score?
- Atlanta Stadium hosted 544,516 total attendees across 8 matches, while the FIFA Fan Festival welcomed more than 500,000 fans across 19 days of celebration.
- Visitors to Atlanta booked more than 440,000 room nights during the World Cup.
- MARTA carried 4.8 million passengers between June 11 and July 15, 2 million more trips than average.
- Match days saw 130,000 additional riders over average, 2-3x normal ridership!
FIFA World Cup 26™ Match Attendance
| Match | Attendance |
|---|---|
| June 15 (Spain v. Cabo Verde) | 220,000 |
| June 18 (Czechia v. South Africa) | 220,000 |
| June 21 (Spain v. Saudi Arabia) | 180,000 |
| June 24 (Morocco v. Haiti) | 240,000 |
| June 27 (Congo DR v. Uzbekistan) | 200,000 |
| July 1 (England v. Congo DR) | 230,000 |
| July 7 (Argentina v. Egypt) | 210,000 |
| July 15 (England v. Argentina) | 220,000 |
MARTA FIFA Recap
MARTA shared its FIFA recap and the numbers are impressive. Check out a few of the stats!
- 700 admininstrative employees filled 6,400 transit ambassador shifts
- Operated the entire World Cup without a major service disruption
- 5-minute service was achieved on match days and Fan Fest days – one deboarding and transfer required due to a minor maintenance issue
- During match days rail ridership was up 2-3.5x overall
- Match days saw 130,000 additional riders over average
- Fan Fest only days saw 40,000 additional over average
- Overall rail ridership during World Cup exceeded 4.1million trips – 1.5 million trips over average for the period
- Bus service was flat across World Cup, which was what they expected
- Peachtree Road Race ridership exceeded 2025 and 2024 numbers- 68,000 trips that day (Yes, there was another major sporting event in the city!)
- All faregate installations expected to be complete by “beginning of October”
What’s next?
With FIFA 26 in the rear view, downtown traffic management will largely return to normal. Ending Summer travel leads to more activity on the region’s roadways, and peak congestion tends to rise with the return of school in early August. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will return to hosting Atlanta United matches and concerts in mid-August; most events occur on evenings and weekends.
Here are some large weekday events to be aware of for the fall:
- DragonCon (Downtown) – Sep 3rd-7th
- Shaky Knees (Midtown) – Sep 18-20th
- Atlanta Pride Festival (Midtown) – Oct 9-11th
- Usher & Chris Brown Tour (Downtown) – Nov 7-8, 10-11
Written by Guest Contributor, Johann Weber, Program/Project Administrator, Mobility Services | Georgia Commute Options
Edited by Sheryl Merritt.
Contact Name: Sheryl Merritt
Contact Phone: 470-757-3799
Contact Email: [email protected]
Crédito: Link de origem