Atlanta United fans will have to wait a little longer before the club's inaugural match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The team announced Tuesday that due to construction delays, the MLS club won't be able to play their first game at the state-of-the-art venue on July 30, as originally planned. Instead, three additional games will be played at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium before the MLS side can call the Mercedes-Benz Stadium their new home.
However, worry not, Falcons fans, the club announced it will instead open its doors for the first time on Saturday, Aug. 26 for an NFL preseason game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals.
Three #ATLUTD match dates revised in new Mercedes-Benz Stadium opening timeline
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) April 18, 2017
DETAILS | https://t.co/vD8UMml0vt pic.twitter.com/tlrbEktlDt
The push-back is due to "normal surveying and analysis of the roof structure," along with steel work in the roof which all together have taken longer than expected. Here are the following home matches that will be moved from Mercedes-Benz Stadium to Bobby Dodd Stadium:
- July 29: Orlando City
- Aug. 13 vs. Minnesota United
- Aug. 19 vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
The attendance for Atlanta's new soccer team has been exceptional through the first six matchweeks of the season. So far, Atlanta has sold out all of its home matches at Bobby Dodd. For what it's worth, Mercedes-Benz Stadium can hold anywhere between 71,000 to 83,000, depending on the event, but will only seat 40,000 for its MLS games.
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