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Heading downtown? Here's what you need to know
If you're planning to attend Monday's Spain-Cabo Verde match or visit downtown Atlanta for World Cup festivities, officials are urging fans to arrive early and leave extra time for travel.
ATLANTA - Atlanta's first FIFA World Cup match is expected to draw massive crowds downtown Monday as Spain and Cabo Verde meet at Atlanta Stadium, and officials are urging fans to plan ahead before heading out the door.
The excitement was already building before sunrise, with workers, volunteers and early-arriving fans gathering downtown hours before kickoff. For Cabo Verde supporters in particular, the day carries special significance as the island nation makes its first-ever appearance on soccer's biggest stage.
Arrive early
What they're saying:
If you're heading to the match, the biggest piece of advice is simple: arrive early.
Traffic is expected to be at its worst between 10 a.m. and noon as fans make their way toward the stadium for the noon kickoff. Officials warn that waiting until the last minute could mean sitting in significant congestion around downtown Atlanta.
Parking is another thing fans need to know before they leave home. There will be no drive-up or cash parking lots available near Atlanta Stadium on match days. All official parking spaces must be reserved and paid for digitally in advance through approved parking platforms.
Transportation officials continue to recommend MARTA as the easiest way to avoid traffic headaches. Trains are running every five minutes from 4:45 a.m. until 1:30 a.m., with free parking available at 23 MARTA stations across metro Atlanta. Five stations are located within a mile of Atlanta Stadium, and a one-way ride costs $2.50.
RELATED GUIDE: World Cup Atlanta traffic guide, parking rules and MARTA hacks
Help will be available
What we know:
For visitors unfamiliar with downtown, help will be easy to find. Hundreds of volunteers will be stationed throughout the area and around MARTA stations to answer questions and help direct fans. Officials say they'll be wearing highly visible white branded jerseys.
Even if you don't have a ticket to the match, there will be plenty happening downtown. The FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park is hosting match viewing, entertainment and fan activities throughout the tournament, giving visitors another way to experience the World Cup atmosphere.
Monday's match is the first of eight World Cup games scheduled for Atlanta this summer, making it the beginning of what city leaders hope will be a month-long celebration of soccer and international culture.