MARTA and Soccer in the Streets officially celebrated the grand opening of the newest StationSoccer field at H.E. Holmes Station on Oct. 21.
The launch comes a decade after the partners unveiled the world’s first transit-station pitch at Five Points Station, according to a press release.
The addition of the H.E. Holmes StationSoccer pitch converts underutilized property at a MARTA rail station into a “safe, vibrant venue for play, character-building, and youth development.” The new space will provide the surrounding communities with direct access to athletic programming for local families and youth ahead of the 2027 StationSoccer season.
“Ten years ago, we took a bold chance on transforming an underutilized space at Five Points Station into a place for community and play,” Jonathan Hunt, General Manager and CEO at MARTA, said in a statement. “A decade later, the opening of StationSoccer at H.E. Holmes demonstrates MARTA’s ongoing commitment to connecting our communities. This field has transformed what was once part of a parking lot into a dynamic space for neighborhood pride, wellness, and youth empowerment.”
“Opening our seventh StationSoccer field during the program’s 10th anniversary year marks a significant achievement in our mission to expand access to youth soccer across metro Atlanta,” Kaseem Ladipo, Executive Director of Soccer in the Streets, said. “By creating safe, accessible spaces where young people can develop both on and off the field, we’re investing in the teamwork, resilience and social-emotional skills that will serve them for a lifetime.”
By placing fields directly inside or adjacent to stations, Soccer in the Streets allows children from across the metro area to travel safely and affordably to practices and league matches on MARTA.
The founding partners of StationSoccer are Soccer in the Streets, MARTA, Atlanta United FC and the City of Atlanta. Other notable partners on the Holmes project include Atlanta FIFA 26 Host City supporters, Amazon, Georgia Power, Invest Atlanta, Dick’s Sporting Goods, LISC, Fieldturf and HKS.
This project received a portion of its funding through Invest Atlanta’s Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) community development initiative. Local students from Young Middle School, a partner site for Soccer in the Streets, attended the event to celebrate and help kick off the project in their community.
The field at H.E. Holmes will be fully operational and ready for league play during the upcoming 2027 StationSoccer season.
