PSG await FC Bayern in Atlanta: The lowdown on the city & stadium

If the engineers of the Western and Atlantic Railroad had chosen a different spot in the year 1837, the city of Atlanta in the state of Georgia, host of the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, would have come into existence somewhere completely different. But as it was, the place grew around a point on a ridge about seven miles east of the Chattahoochee River, which engineers designated as the southern end of a planned railway line. The town that developed around this landmark was named ‘Terminus,’ which literally means ‘end of the line.’ Had this remained the city's only rail connection, Atlanta would probably have remained a small border town at the end of the line. By 1846, however, two more railway lines converged with the Western and Atlantic in the city centre, connecting the city with remote areas in the southeastern United States and driving the city's growth.

From Terminus to Marthasville to Atlanta

Terminus was already renamed in 1843 as Marthasville, after the daughter of the Governor who instigated the construction of the railway. That became Atlanta in 1845, either as the feminine version of ‘Atlantic’ or because of the middle name of the Governor's daughter (Atalanta) – it’s not known today.

The fact is the city rapidly evolved into a significant transport and trade hub. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Atlanta was also of great strategic importance for the Confederacy; in 1864, the city fell to Union troops. Since then the region has grown strongly, with the population more than doubling by 120 percent since 1995. Metro Atlanta is now the sixth-biggest metropolitan area in the USA. Over six million people live in the whole region, while the city itself is home to around 520,000 people today.

Enthusiastic about sport

The enthusiasm for sport is huge, not just since the 26th Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta in 1996. WIth the Atlanta Hawks (men’s basketball), the Atlanta Braves (baseball), Atlanta United FC (football), the Atlanta Dream (women's basketball), the Georgia Swarm (lacrosse), the Atlanta Rhinos (rugby) and the Atlanta Vibe (volleyball), no fewer than seven professional teams play in the country’s highest league. The American football team the Atlanta Falcons play their home games at the biggest stadium in the city – the one in which FC Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain will also meet on Saturday afternoon.

The Mercedes Benz Stadium, constructed in August 2017 for around 1.6 billion US dollars, has an impressive architecture and is inspired by the ancient Pantheon in Rome with its circular opening directly above the pitch. The roof consists of eight triangular panels, which can be opened and shut in under 10 minutes. Below it is a huge, curved LED board. With temperatures of 33 degrees expected, the fact that the stadium can defy all weather conditions thanks to its roof will also benefit Bayern on Saturday since the arena is completely air-conditioned.

Largest sculpture in the world

The venue for the 2019 Super Bowl holds up to 75,000 people. The largest crowd for a football match was recorded in the MLS Cup finals with over 73,000 fans in attendance. Borussia Dortmund recently contested their last-16 tie against Monterrey there, while Paris have already played in Atlanta against Inter Miami. The meeting between Bayern and the UEFA Champions League winners wil be the last of six Club World Cup fixtures in Georgia. The outside of the stadium is impressive, too: the 23-metre-high falcon statue made from recycled steel is said to be the largest freestanding bird sculpture in the world.

The support of local Bayern fans will be important in Atlanta. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

All FIFA Club World Cup matches are being broadcast live and for free by streaming service DAZN, although broadcasters will differ in some countries.

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