Washington, D.C., June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches the halfway point, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) today highlighted the critical role public transportation is playing in the success of the tournament, moving millions of fans safely and efficiently to matches, fan festivals, airports, and downtown destinations across the United States.
More than 26 public transit agencies across 11 U.S. host cities have spent the last two years preparing for one of the largest sporting events in history. Through expanded service, enhanced security, new technology, and extensive operational planning, public transportation systems are helping host cities accommodate unprecedented visitor volumes while maintaining reliable service for residents.
APTA also thanked Congress and the Administration for providing $100 million in Federal funding to support World Cup-related public transportation services, helping public transit agencies expand service and deliver the operational resources needed to support both visitors and everyday riders throughout the tournament.
“We're entering the third week of this tournament, and the results so far speak for themselves,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO of APTA. “Public transit agencies in host cities across the U.S. have moved millions of fans safely and efficiently while continuing to get everyday riders where they need to go. They're setting ridership records, delivering a positive customer experience, and demonstrating what years of planning, coordination, and decades of Federal investment look like in action.”
Several host cities have already reported record-setting ridership and strong operational performance, including:
- Seattle: Sound Transit's Link light rail recorded its busiest day in agency history on June 19, carrying an estimated 280,000 riders for the USA-Australia match — surpassing the previous record of 220,000 set during the Seahawks' Super Bowl parade. The system logged its third-busiest day in history (approximately 210,000 boardings) for the tournament's opening Seattle match on June 15.
- San Francisco Bay Area: The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), working with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain, moved 37,642 fans to and from the opening World Cup match at Levi's Stadium on June 13 — exceeding Super Bowl LX demand by 6,000. Three days later, VTA carried more than 39,500 passengers for the Austria-Jordan match, while BART’s Milpitas station ridership increased more than 160 percent compared to the previous weekend.
- Kansas City: The KC Streetcar carried 196,284 passengers between June 11 and June 17, averaging 28,041 riders a day. The system set a single-day ridership record of more than 39,000 trips on June 16, the day Argentina faced Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.
- Atlanta: The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) reports that it has moved approximately 1.7 million people to four World Cup matches, nine FIFA Fan Festivals, and other related events since June 11. The system's busiest day so far was June 24, when an estimated 220,000 rail riders — about 2.3 times a typical weekday — traveled for the Morocco-Haiti match. MARTA Transit Ambassadors have worked nearly 4,000 shifts assisting customers across the system.
- Philadelphia: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) Broad Street Line is averaging approximately 31,000 riders per match to and from Lincoln Financial Field, with added capacity to move roughly 15,000 people per hour. SEPTA's Flash bus service for visitors also recorded an 800 percent increase in ridership during the tournament, its largest jump since 2015.
- Los Angeles: LA Metro reported a 598 percent increase in rider taps at the Expo Park/USC Metro E Line Station on a World Cup match day compared with a typical Friday, underscoring the growing reliance on transit to reach tournament venues.
Transit agencies in Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, New York/New Jersey, and Miami have likewise expanded service, deployed thousands of additional staff and ambassadors, enhanced wayfinding and customer assistance programs, and introduced new fare payment options to accommodate international visitors.
“These numbers are proof of what public transportation can do when it has the resources to perform,” said Skoutelas. “As Congress continues work on the next surface transportation authorization bill, the World Cup is showing, in real time, exactly why sustained Federal investment in public transit and passenger rail matters — not only for global events like the World Cup, but for the millions of people who rely on public transit every day.”
With three weeks of competition left, transit agencies across the country continue to prepare for some of the tournament's largest crowds as the knockout rounds begin.
Amy Thompson American Public Transportation Association 202-285-2997 athompson@apta.com