Following a spate of headline-grabbing bad news, we asked readers on these pages in early June to rate their confidence that Atlanta’s transit agency could handle the onslaught of 2026 FIFA World Cup crowds. Just 15 percent of voters were decisively optimistic.
But after two weeks of World Cup festivities—and fairly glowing remarks from visitors around the world—has that changed?
MARTA officials relayed this afternoon they’ve transported roughly 1.7 million people to World Cup-related events and festivities since June 11. That includes four World Cup matches in Atlanta, nine FIFA Fan Festivals, and other gatherings related to the world’s largest sporting event.
The ridership tally includes MARTA’s busiest day to date, Wednesday, when the transit agency moved roughly 220,000 rail customers alone on the day Morocco played Haiti downtown. That’s 2.3 times the number of riders they log on a typical weekday.
Passengers transfer at Five Points. Despite massive crowds, at times, the process is fairly orderly in the newly renovated concourse.
Photo by Amit Kamma
Photo by Amit Kamma
A quick rundown of what’s changed—and what’s been going right—according to MARTA officials:
Trains have been scheduled to arrive every five minutes at stations on Fan Fest and match days. On those days, MARTA Transit Ambassadors have worked nearly 4,000 shifts, assisting customers across the system.
Meanwhile, hundreds of MARTA police officers are continuing increased patrols on buses and trains, as well as in parking lots, stations, and bus transfer hubs, per MARTA.
MARTA Police personnel—alongside officers loaned from Denver—are working 10- to 12-hour shifts, six days a week, per MARTA.
Roughly 30 buses have been staged as a rapid response fleet on match days, including five vans at strategic locations, in an effort to ease rail service disruptions, per MARTA.
All of which means, in fairness, it’s time for another poll, now that we’re in the thick of Summer of Soccer festivities in Atlanta.
Please take a second to vote below.
