World Cup fans give honest takes on Atlanta transit, vibes, food, more

[Editor’s note: Metro Atlanta native Amit Kamma, who recently graduated from Yale University with a degree in Urban Studies, will periodically contribute to Urbanize Atlanta this summer before beginning his full-time job as a transportation planner. Here, Kamma dives headlong into Atlanta’s summer of soccer to gauge how visitors from around the world are feeling about our city right now.]

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WHILE the internet delights over clips of 2026 FIFA World Cup visitors falling in love with all-American classics ranging from free refills to friendly strangers, fans visiting Atlanta are also enjoying something perhaps less expected: our public infrastructure.

As thousands of fans descended on Atlanta for our slate of group-stage matches, I asked a dozen of them about their experiences with transportation and public spaces in the city. Their assessments, it turns out, were overwhelmingly positive. Several interview subjects, it should be noted, hadn’t seen much but their hotels and the stadium before our encounters.

In recent months, concerns have festered regarding the preparedness of Atlanta’s infrastructure for the massive tournament. Yet, international analysts also noted the city was among the best-suited in the country for hosting matches, partially owing to strong public transit connectivity between the airport and "Atlanta Stadium," as well as the density of hotels and businesses nearby. Meanwhile, MARTA rolled out an ambitious campaign to increase frequencies and staffing, amid criticism over delayed launches of fare gates and new railcars.

By most indications, however, MARTA’s first week of the World Cup seems to have been quite the operational success, and many visitors seemed to agree.

One South Africa supporter from New Jersey described MARTA as “very user-friendly” and “clearly labeled.” A pair of Czech Republic fans compared the system favorably to their previous World Cup stop: “In Miami, [the trains] didn’t arrive at all, but in Atlanta [they’re] on time and better.” Even a Spanish visitor from Madrid—surely possessing quite the high standards for public transit—stated: “Honestly, [Atlanta’s] metro was really good.”

In a city where public transit so often gets the short end of the stick, these reactions from international visitors are encouraging.

Bullhorn in hand, a MARTA staff member guides passengers coming from the stadium to their Red/Gold line transfers. The agency has surged personnel on match days, especially at SEC and Five Points Stations. Photo by Amit Kamma

Passengers transfer at Five Points. Despite massive crowds, the process is fairly orderly in the newly renovated concourse. Photo by Amit Kamma

Across MARTA’s four lines, five-minute headways ran consistently before and after first-week match days, and an enormous number of staff were present at Five Points and SEC District stations. The system is not without its hiccups, however. While the Five Points renovation has been completed at the platform level—allowing riders to transfer in style—the entrances and mezzanine remain under heavy construction. Only one of its five entrances is open, and temporary hallways composed of wood scaffolding are plastered with stopgap signs and half-hearted stickers. This arrangement elicited understandable confusion for some visitors, though staff and volunteers were usually quick to help.

Not all visitors to the World Cup matches used public transit.

While some drove (braving eye-watering parking prices often well over $100) and others used rideshares, many also scootered or biked, perhaps a good sign for the continued growth of micromobility in Atlanta. The stadium’s free bike valet was decently well utilized for Spain versus Saudi Arabia, while rental e-scooters proved an even more popular choice. A group of Brits and Canadians rode scooters from their hotel to the stadium, calling the experience “pretty fun” and the streets “organized.” A couple of hours after the final whistle, a few Saudi Arabia fans made their way to Midtown on Lime e-scooters, joyriding along the deserted 5th Street sidewalks. (We can forgive them for neglecting to use the brand-new Tech Square bike lanes.)

Beyond transportation infrastructure, public spaces have also transformed across downtown, thanks to the World Cup.

One of two valets near Atlanta Stadium held several dozen bikes and scooters mid-way through Sunday’s match. Photo by Amit Kamma

Unfazed by a 4-0 drubbing by Spain earlier that day, Saudi fans had a blast using Lime e-scooters in Midtown. Photo by Amit Kamma

Parts of Mitchell Street SW were closed briefly for a raucous march of Spain supporters from Casa de España—a temporary fan headquarters in South Downtown—to the stadium before their game against Saudi Arabia. Many participants later cited the march as a highlight of their fan experience on match day in Atlanta. Nearby, Centennial Olympic Park has been hosting Atlanta’s official FIFA Fan Festival™, attracting a quarter of a million guests in just its first 10 days.

Lines to enter the festival on Sunday stretched nearly two blocks. With the stadium and fan festival so close together (a luxury not shared by all cities—ahem, Boston), downtown is the undisputed epicenter of Atlanta’s World Cup energy, and its public spaces have mostly stepped up to generate a lively atmosphere for fans.

For an escape from the intensity, South Downtown, Atlanta’s newest entrant into the redeveloping-district club, served as much more low-key public space nearby.

Spain fans parade down Mitchell Street before their game against Saudi Arabia. Photo by Amit Kamma

The intersection of Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive is busy on match days, featuring longer pedestrian signal phases (thankfully) and new painted crosswalks. Photo by Amit Kamma

But for all the much-appreciated love for Atlanta’s infrastructure visitors offered, the city’s food and friendliness certainly caught their attention, too. Many fans I spoke to went out of their way to mention how welcoming and warm Atlantans have been, with one Czech fan even calling it “surprising” (hey, we’ll take it).

Perhaps the greatest response, however, came from a Canadian fan visiting with his family for the South Africa match. On their first day ever in the United States, just before the match, they landed in Atlanta with their priorities straight: “Our first visit to a restaurant was Waffle House," he said. "Really, really great service, great food.”

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Below is a potpourri of Atlanta impressions, as collected from 2026 FIFA World Cup visitors over the past week:

One South African supporter from New Jersey:

MARTA is “very user-friendly…Everything is clearly labeled.” He added: “We ran into a problem… but the [MARTA] agents were so helpful, and professional.”

How renovations have modernized the look of Five Points station downtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Fans descend into the SEC District entrance, where staff maintain a queue to manage congestion. Photo by Amit Kamma

South African from Canada, who arrived Wednesday, toured Zoo Atlanta and the College Football Hall of Fame:

Traffic has been “easy,” and people “have been quite accommodating… and warm.”
Trains were “fantastic.”
“Our first visit to a restaurant was Waffle House. Really, really great service, great food.”

Two people from the Czech Republic, who spent a week in Miami before Atlanta:

Overall on United States: “I’m grateful… I was not expecting so many people [to be] chill. Atlanta is a chill town.”
But transit/infrastructure in Atlanta is a “bad experience” yet “better than Miami.”
“In Miami, [the trains] didn’t arrive at all, but in Atlanta it’s on time and it’s like… better. [Though] navigation could be better.”
“Getting to the stadium was easy.”

Way-finding on Friday outside MARTA's Five Points station downtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

From Czechia/Chicago:

Chicagoan: “The MARTA is nice… it’s got bigger seats than Chicago.”
“From the airport” it was easy.

Saudi Arabian student studying in Boston. He drove to ATL:

Atlanta is a “great city.” Fan festival is “really good,” and “stadium is amazing.”
“I just parked my car downtown and walked 10 minutes here… very convenient.”
Has mostly done fan things and had a good time, he says.

Two guys from Spain:

First time to Atlanta but not the U.S. overall.
“We partied, we had fun” at a reggaeton bar in Midtown, where they are staying.
“Honestly, the metro was really good” for getting to the stadium. “No issues.”
“A lack of Spaniards, though… on the train.”
On atmosphere: “We need more… it lacks a little bit of energy.”
Remaining Atlanta plans: “Get drunk.”

Photo by Amit Kamma

Group of Brits and Canadians, on their first trip to ATL, now staying in Midtown:

City is “pretty sick,” with “lots of fun stuff,” “good bars,” “good food.”
“Took the scooters [and] electric bikes” to stadium.
“People have been good… Cops organized really well.”
“The walk is thousands of fans walking over.”
“It’s probably as good as what America could have done.”
“People have been great.”

FIFA Fan Festival in Centennial Olympic Park on Friday. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

From Puerto Rico; brother lives in ATL:

Atmosphere is great and being with Spanish fans is also great.
Brother lives in Midtown, so “very convenient” to take MARTA to Five Points and “march here” with the Spanish fans.

Guy from Moldova who’d been in the U.S. for two weeks: