As Atlanta prepares to host World Cup matches, FIFA reports 500M ticket requests

ATLANTA - With five months to go until the first FIFA World Cup match kicks off inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, excitement is building in Atlanta as the city prepares to welcome fans from around the globe for what FIFA calls the "greatest sporting and social event in the history of mankind."

What we know:

One of the agencies gearing up for the crowds is the Transportation Security Administration at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport. 

Atlanta is set to host eight World Cup matches over a monthlong period starting June 15, with tens of thousands of visitors expected to travel in for each game.

TSA leadership in Georgia says they are already evaluating how the influx of World Cup visitors will affect security checkpoints across the airport.

Hartsfield-Jackson is no stranger to heavy traffic, but airport leaders say the combination of summer vacation travel and the World Cup could push passenger volume to new levels.

Interest in the tournament is already reaching historic levels. 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said more than half a billion ticket requests were made during the most recent ticketing phase.

FIFA announced Wednesday that the latest ticketing window drew more than 500 million applications for matches across the 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

It is still too early to know exactly how many visitors the World Cup will bring to Atlanta, but officials have said they are planning for large crowds as the countdown continues.

What they're saying:

"It's going to be an extremely, busy time when we have games," said Michael Donnelly, Georgia’s TSA federal security director. "So we'll be preparing like like every game is a Super Bowl."

Donnelly oversees TSA operations across Georgia and says officers plan to rely on new body scanners and other technology to help manage the expected surge in travelers while maintaining security.

"We're looking to take advantage of some of the new technology to help us with what will be an extremely busy year for us," Donnelly said.

According to FIFA, the highest number of applications outside the host countries came from fans in Europe and South America.

"This shows definitely that, the World Cup, which is coming up, will be the greatest sporting and social event in the history of mankind," Infantino said.

With demand continuing to surge, Donnelly says TSA is working closely with airport leadership and city officials to ensure travelers have a smooth experience during the tournament.

"We've put a lot of emphasis on, you know, ensuring that, you know, we make it a good experience for those that travel through Atlanta," Donnelly said.