Atlanta locals know that no matter the price of the ticket to attend an event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, you're guaranteed a cheap meal inside.
Since it's opening in 2017, the operators of the 71,000-capacity stadium have offered $2 hot dogs, $5 draft beers and free soda refills to help make Atlanta Falcons games, Atlanta United matches and more family-friendly events.
Over the past month and a half soccer fans around the world have been able to experience this for the first time as the stadium hosted eight 2026 World Cup matches this summer.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium was ranked first overall for food among World Cup host stadiums, with the cheap prices and wide variety offering a positive experience for anyone hoping to catch a match.
So, how much did
soccer fans actually buy during the World Cup?
More than half a million fans attend World Cup matches in Atlanta
According to AMB Group, the company that operates Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS), more than 544,000 fans and 4,000 media members from more than 100 nations made their way inside the stadium during the World Cup.
There were more than 1.4 million food and beverage items sold over 585,000 transactions, according to the group.
This includes:
- 118,054 Coca-Cola souvenir cups
- 175,565 bottles of Dasani water
- 44,763 burgers
- 42,363 bags of popcorn
MBS built sustainability into the model
"One of the world's most sustainable stadiums, and the first venue globally to earn TRUE Platinum certification for zero waste, MBS delivered a zero-waste World Cup, diverting 91% of all waste from landfills across eight matches and more than half a million fans," the group said.
Part of that means 407,560 pounds of compost were created during the tournament, and 94,000 pounds of glass and cardboard were recycled instead of being thrown away.
Food was also recovered, 8,500 pounds of it, to go to Second Helpings Atlanta, an organization that works to eliminate hunger and food waste in the greater Atlanta metro area.
On top of that, there were 800 pieces of furniture donated to Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta and 3,000 pounds of fabric recovered and donated to re:loom to be upcycled.
"Across eight electrifying matches, this tournament represented the very best of what our city and state can accomplish together. Public and private partners throughout Atlanta and Georgia united behind a shared goal: to welcome the world and deliver an unforgettable experience worthy of the moment," AMB Sports and Entertainment president, Tim Zulawski, said in a statement. "A World Cup is defined not just by the results of the matches, but by the moments people share. The memories created in Atlanta will endure for generations, for the people of Atlanta and the visitors we were honored to host."
Irene Wright covers the FIFA World Cup as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Half a million World Cup fans came to Atlanta stadium. What they bought
