Oct 11, 2026
8:20 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the downtown Atlanta home of the NFL’s Falcons and MLS’s Atlanta United. The two-team calendar makes it far busier than a typical football-only building, while transparent Fan First concession pricing gives visitors an unusually clear way to plan food costs.
Architecture and sightlines
The stadium opened in 2017 with an eight-panel retractable roof designed to open like a camera aperture. Directly below it, the 360-degree Halo board circles the opening and keeps replays visible from nearly every direction. Five tall glass panels face the Atlanta skyline and bring daylight into what would otherwise feel like a closed dome.
The standard capacity is about 71,000, expandable for major events. Soccer configurations can draw the lower bowl closer to the action visually, while concerts vary widely by stage orientation. Always use the seating chart attached to the specific event rather than the football map.
Food value is part of the design
The low-price Fan First menu is not a limited pregame promotion and applies throughout ticketed events, unlike the season-ticket value menu at Northwest Stadium. Core items such as hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, pizza, fries, nachos, refillable fountain drinks and domestic beer are sold at published prices. Specialty vendors and premium clubs use separate menus, but a visitor can assemble a basic order without the usual stadium-price uncertainty.
That model also means the busiest value stands move quickly at halftime. Ordering earlier, using a less obvious concourse location and refilling a drink at a freestanding station are the simplest ways to avoid the peak queue.
Getting there
The stadium is at 1 AMB Drive NW beside State Farm Arena and the Georgia World Congress Center. MARTA is usually the most predictable option: GWCC/CNN Center and Vine City stations both serve the campus. The correct station can depend on your gate and post-event direction.
Downtown parking is spread across decks and surface lots with event pricing. Prebooking is strongly preferable for Falcons games, Atlanta United matches and neutral-site college football because road closures change the final approach.
Fast facts
- Teams: Atlanta Falcons; Atlanta United FC
- Capacity: approximately 71,000, expandable to 83,000
- Opened: August 26, 2017
- Cost: approximately $1.6 billion
- Roof: eight-panel retractable aperture
- Sustainability: LEED Platinum certification
- Food-service operator: Levy
Major events
The stadium has hosted Super Bowl LIII, College Football Playoff title games, the SEC Championship and Peach Bowl, MLS Cup events, international soccer and major concerts. Its dual tenancy means a visitor guide should always be read alongside the event-specific gate, seating and concessions information.