FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2025
MARTA PROVIDES SEAMLESS SERVICE & WORLD-CLASS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DURING 2025 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) provided safe, clean, reliable service and a world-class customer experience to tens of thousands of fans during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on June 16, 19, 22, 29 and July 1, and 5.
The quarterfinal match on Saturday, July 5 between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich had the highest ridership at approximately 25,000 trips taken, or around 12,500 riders assuming most fans traveled round trip. Total approximate ridership for all matches was close to 98,000 trips or 49,000 unique riders.
As it does for all large-scale events, MARTA operated additional trains before and after the matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including a pre-game shuttle train between Five Points and GWCC Stations. Additionally, Load and Go teams were positioned on rail station platforms to assist customers with getting on and off trains and to ensure platforms didn’t become overcrowded.
“Moving a lot of people safely and efficiently to and from big events is what MARTA does best, and with more and more events coming to town, we stay ready,” said MARTA Chief Operating Officer George Wright. “It’s vital that providing safe, reliable rail service becomes second nature to our operations team.”
As is also customary during big events, MARTA stood up its Emergency Operations Center where representatives from all MARTA departments worked together during the matches to monitor the entire system via a massive network of cameras, coordinate with other police and public safety entities, and deploy resources as needed.
MARTA Police worked patrols throughout the system, on trains, buses, in stations and parking lots, and responded quickly to calls for assistance. MPD reported no serious incidents during 6 days of matches, with most calls being for medical assistance. MARTA hires additional emergency medical personnel to work at its busiest rail stations during large events.
“Much of what we see during events, especially in the summer, is medical emergencies due to the heat and our officers are trained to render aid until emergency medical services arrive,” said MARTA Police Chief Scott Kreher. “For Club World Cup, we made sure officers were visible at rail stations, on trains, and in parking lots, including our K-9 units, and that officers were positioned systemwide to respond quickly to issues reported through the See & Say app.”
MARTA deployed over 500 Transit Ambassadors throughout the system over the 6 days to answer questions, provide directions and assistance, and ensure customers enjoyed their trip.
“Our Transit Ambassador program is an important part of the customer experience during concert series and games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena,” said MARTA Chief Customer Experience Officer Rhonda Allen. “Even customers who know their way around MARTA, say they appreciate the friendly face and welcoming energy provided by MARTA employees. The MARTA soccer jerseys worn by the ambassadors this year were a big hit as well, so we’re exploring making them available in our MARTA Merch store. Stay tuned!”
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup matches were seen a warm-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when Atlanta will host 8 matches over two months next summer. With planned systemwide upgrades over the next year, including new trains, new Breeze faregates, ticket vending machines, and open fare payment system, along with refurbished escalators and a new name for GWCC Station, MARTA stands ready to provide a world-class experience for soccer fans from around the world.
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