Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium officially opened on August 26, 2017. Several events formerly held at the Georgia Dome moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium following its completion, including multiple college football events, such as the SEC football championship game, the Peach Bowl, and the College Football Playoff National Championship (2018). Other professional events included the MLS Cup (as Atlanta United FC held home field advantage) in 2018, and Super Bowl LIII in 2019. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the likely host for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, though not yet officially confirmed. It also hosted multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including a semi-final. As of the established canon, no future Super Bowls beyond LXI have been awarded to any stadium.

In Their Own Story

The stadium officially welcomed its first events on August 26, 2017. Architect Bill Johnson noted that the roof's circular opening was inspired by the Pantheon, utilizing eight triangular panels that operate on parallel rails to open and close in minutes. Below this engineering marvel sits the Halo, a 58-by-1,100-foot ring-shaped video board covering 62,350 square feet—three times larger than any other single NFL display at EverBank Stadium. Inside, the venue features over 180 commissioned art pieces, including Gábor Miklós Szőke's stainless steel sculpture 'The Atlanta Falcon,' which stands 41 feet high with a 70-foot wingspan atop a 13-foot bronze football. The lower bowl seats retract to create a soccer-specific configuration for Atlanta United FC, reducing capacity to approximately 42,500 while widening the field.

Reader's Guide

The stadium's signature feature is its retractable roof, which features a 'pinwheel' consisting of eight translucent, triangular panels. Each of the eight panels operates on two straight, parallel rails. Closing the roof takes slightly less time than opening the roof. When opened, the panels are designed to create the illusion of a bird's wings extended. Architect Bill Johnson explained that the circular opening in the roof was inspired by the Roman Pantheon. Below the roof is the 'Halo', a ring-shaped video board around its rim. Covering a total area of 63,800 square feet, it was described by manufacturer Daktronics as being 'three times as large as the current largest single display board in the NFL' installed at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. The stadium also includes features specific for college football use, with two oversized locker rooms each capable of housing 100 players. It has a soccer-specific configuration, with retractable lower bowl seats to widen the field, and mechanized curtains that limit the capacity to about 42,500. The stadium incorporates contemporary art into its interior and exterior design, with over 180 commissioned works. The centerpiece is Gábor Miklós Szőke's stainless steel sculpture The Atlanta Falcon, which the artist said is the largest freestanding bird sculpture in the world. The upper concourse includes an area known as the '100 Yard Club'. Other noted areas include the 'AT&T Perch' and the 'Budweiser Biergarten'. The former Georgia Dome site was redeveloped as 'The Home Depot Backyard'. For its concessions, the stadium has a policy of 'fan first pricing' with lower menu prices, such as a US$2 beverage cup with free refills and a $5 beer. In March 2019, the stadium became one of the first major professional sports venues in the United States to only accept 'cashless' payment methods for concessions. In 2023, the stadium adopted the NFL's clear bag policy.

Did You Know?

• The Halo video board covers 63,800 square feet, which is three times as large as the previous largest single display board in the NFL.
• The roof's eight translucent, triangular panels operate on straight, parallel rails, not curved rails.
• The circular opening in the roof was inspired by the Roman Pantheon.
• The stadium's Chick-fil-A does not operate on Sundays, and is replaced by an unbranded 'Fries Up' stand during Sunday events.