Last Train to North America (2026) s01e04 Episode Script
Atlanta - Miami
[Martin] The United States
long-distance rail system
features several specific routes
covering remarkable distances,
such as the Silver Service, for example,
which connects New York with Miami.
Today, we are heading south
to connect with Atlanta,
a journey of over 620 miles,
lasting nearly 18 hours.
Wow! This is a great way
to start a journey.
-It is, right?
-Yeah.
I wanted us to start here
just so I can express to you
how incredible this ride is going to be.
Perfect way to start.
Philadelphia connects with Atlanta.
[Martin] I'm really excited
to visit the stadium.
It's probably one of the first stadiums
that talks about modernity, futuristic.
It's not even just that.
It's not just a football…
it's a soccer stadium.
And that's how you start to realize
that the sport is growing in this country.
And also, Atlanta has a lot of history.
-It's one of the most historic cities.
-Yeah.
So many things…
important things happened there, so…
It's going to be a whole day experience.
So, a perfect way to start this
is with breakfast.
-Not breakfast, but American breakfast.
-A typical American breakfast.
-Sausages, scrambled eggs.
-A croissant, strawberries, coffee.
I can't wait to get to know Atlanta
and to start eating
-this beautiful breakfast.
-To start with this breakfast
-to get some energy, right? [laughs]
-Let's do it.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Starting the day on the train
with our traveling companion.
The southern states
of this country awaits us
along with new experiences.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
[music concludes]
[theme music playing]
[Martin] Welcome.
This is Last Train to Russia.
And from here,
we continue with Last Train to Qatar.
This is the stadium that will host
the next World Cup final.
[theme music concludes]
[Martin]
This is Last Train to North America.
[soft instrumental music playing]
Atlanta will host
the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
A city that knows
how to organize a big sporting event.
They played an amazing role
in the transformation of the city
in the 1996 Olympic Games.
Welcome to Atlanta.
[Stewart] After the games,
the city was really on the map,
and people knew where we were
and understood who we were as a city.
So, I think Olympic Games
were probably the most important event
in the city's history.
[music concludes]
[Stewart] During the Olympics,
Billy Payne, who was
the head of the Olympics,
came up with an idea to, uh, sell bricks,
and he raised the entire cost
of this park by individuals.
-I actually had a brick…
-Oh, really?
…that my dad bought for me.
-[Martin] So, you've never seen it?
-I've never seen it before.
I thought maybe
we could go try to find it.
[Martin] One of the most profound
and personal legacies
of the 1996 Atlanta games,
bricks engraved with personal names,
which served as the financial foundation
for developing this park,
and which today,
stand at the very heart of the city.
-Oh, I find it! It's here!
-[Stewart] No way!
-No way!
-[Martin] "Stewart Lathan," right?
-That's right. [chuckles]
-That's you.
-[Stewart] I gotta take a picture of it.
-[Martin] Yeah! Whoo!
-[camera shutter clicking]
-[Martin] How do you feel?
[Stewart] I feel like
I played a small part
in something that was really much bigger.
[somber classical music playing]
[Chelsea] Stewart, a significant event
happened here in this part of the park.
[Stewart] It was very late at night,
there was a concert going on,
and, completely unexpectedly,
a bomb went off.
People were devastated.
You know, so much of the Olympics
is about peace
and bringing people together,
had been destroyed in an instant.
This memorial is dedicated
to Richard Jewell,
who was the security guard that day,
and he was the one
that found the backpack
that was filled with, um, nails
and that had exploded.
Really, it could have been a lot worse,
were it not for Richard Jewell
to-- to find the backpack.
[somber classical music continues]
[music concludes]
[uplifting instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Our featured guest today,
Stewart, played a key role
in the development
of the 1996 Olympic Games.
This is the story of a young student
and an event
that changed her life forever,
and no less,
right here in her own hometown.
There's so many historical stuff
on this table. How do you get all this?
I actually designed
and produced the Olympic medals.
It was just a 25-year-old girl
in her second job out of college,
like, working on this.
The first pictures, like,
she didn't look very pretty.
And I kept on telling the artist
that I wanted her to look like,
if you're watching Paramount Pictures,
there's a woman…
-Yes, yes, yes, like that.
-…and she's holding a torch.
I said, "That's what
I want her to look like."
I was very proud, and I knew
what I was doing was really important.
And so, I really wanted to do a good job.
-You also carry the torch.
-I did.
They had a lottery
at the Atlanta committee
for the Olympic Games,
and they drew names out of the hat.
-[Martin] You won the lottery. [chuckles]
-I won the lottery, literally.
-No, but it's… it's a piece of history.
-It really is.
How do you think the city is
preparing for-- for the world--
the FIFA World Cup that is coming to town?
I think we've had a lot of experience,
so we're really excited,
and we're-- we're ready
to-- to welcome everybody
from all over the world.
[Martin] A local portrait
illustrating the significance
of hosting an event
of this magnitude for this city.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[indistinct announcement over PA]
[Martin] The city of Atlanta
boasts a highly developed
public transportation system.
A subway network featuring 38 stations
distributed across four lines,
and including a special stop
right at what will serve
as its World Cup stadium.
[gentle instrumental music continues]
[Martin] The world of football
has been talking about this stadium
for a long time.
Its futuristic facade gives us a taste
of what we can expect inside.
Welcome to the FIFA
World Cup stadium in Atlanta.
[music concludes]
[Martin] Opened in 2017,
this state-of-the-art stadium
is home to the city's NFL team,
the Atlanta Falcons,
and its MLS team, the Atlanta United.
[Sarah] This locker room
really is part of this vision
of "We want to be the epicenter
of soccer in North America."
And if you want soccer
to succeed here in Atlanta,
you've got to do
the right thing for the people,
and you've got to do
the right thing for the players,
and the rest will follow.
[Martin] How much
of the decision of Atlanta
to host the World Cup
had to do with the development,
with the soccer development,
with the stadium?
So when we were building this,
we thought about soccer,
and we thought about,
"How can you bring the rest of the world
here to want to play the game?"
But what makes this building
even more special is it doesn't matter
what's happening in this building,
it feels like it's your home.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Without a doubt,
the staple of this city.
An imposing stadium
built at a cost of 1.6 billion dollars,
and with a capacity
of nearly 75,000 spectators.
[Adam] Welcome to the field
of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
World-class.
That was the mindset in developing.
Sightlines matter.
It's how you connect the fan to the event,
and then what's happening on the surface,
but it also increases
the player experience.
The fans are right on top of you.
It's intimate, they're loud.
Uh, it really adds
that little competitive advantage
that you might be looking for in a game.
We were built to be a soccer stadium.
But we're not just
an American football stadium.
We are both. It's not just a stadium,
it's the city of Atlanta.
We are built to host big, huge events.
You have the Olympics, the Super Bowls.
We’re set up, the infrastructure
here in Atlanta, the airport,
our MARTA rideshare system.
Um, it just sets up really well
to be on the World,
and a lot of thought
and intention were put into those.
The venue is kind of like
the cherry on top.
[stirring instrumental music playing]
[Martin] The place, when you hear
the last words, the feelings,
and you start to realize
that this will be a very important match.
This is probably one
of the most beautiful stadiums
of the next World Cup.
[music concludes]
[Martin] One of its stand-out features
is its retractable roof.
That is why this tour includes a visit
to the upper limits of this venue.
We ascend five stories
to discover this unique feature.
With an octagonal design,
inspired by the Pantheon in Rome,
it features eight translucent panels.
[Adam] This roof, we call the Oculus.
It is the most unique roof,
I think, in all of sports for sure,
if not maybe, like, the world.
[Chelsea] How long does it take
to open and close the roof?
The whole process is 45 minutes
with safety checks and visual checks,
but from the time the roof starts to move,
it's about eight and a half minutes.
-[Martin] That's really fast.
-Yeah.
What about the view? It is very special.
[Adam] Yeah, we're a little bit
over 300 feet in the air right now.
Um, so, pretty cool to watch an event
taking place from this height.
We don't often let people
watch from up here,
but as a roof crew member,
you might get to sneak a peek.
[thrilling classical music playing]
-[Martin] Wow, this cannot get better.
-[Adam] Yep.
This particular section
of the roof, actually,
this is where the roof lands
when it opens.
So, we require
a large surface area up here
for those pedals to actually move
out of the building and park here,
uh, until we’re ready to close it.
[Martin] Take advantage
of this amazing view.
Yeah, everyone wants
to come up here for that view.
[music concludes]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[Martin] We’re back on the train.
Where are we going now?
We're going to the southernmost point
of where the World Cup
will be held in the United States,
And that's one
of my favorite cities, Miami.
-[laughs]
-[chuckles] Mine too.
And I have never thought that Miami
would become such a soccer capital.
And that is-- that is because
of the little genius, Lionel Messi.
-The phenomenon, Lionel Messi…
-Yeah.
-…has made it become so big…
-Yeah.
…of people just wanting to watch games,
even people
that weren't even into soccer before.
But also, it's a melting pot
of the Latin culture.
You're going to see how different it is
from all the other cities
you've visited prior to this.
-I can't wait.
-I'm excited to take you.
[Martin]
Six hundred and five miles by train,
and an approximate travel time
of 35 hours, just to reach Miami.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Chelsea]
Well, Martin, welcome to Miami.
I love to start this way. Roller-skating,
Ocean Drive, next to the beach.
I mean, this is Miami, right?
It's exactly
what you see in the postcards.
Or even better,
because you're living it live.
The culture, the colors, the vibrancy!
And just wait, because this is not
the only point of view
-that you're going to have of Miami.
-It's not?
-No, it's not.
-I love how it starts.
-Okay, well, you see how it ends. [laughs]
-Let’s see it.
Known as the "Magic City"
for its rapid and astonishing growth,
we arrive in Miami,
the southernmost host city
in the United States.
[lively instrumental music playing]
[man] We’re extremely lucky,
'cause I moved here about 20 years ago.
I mean, I've learned,
like, three new languages,
danced 20 new rhythms.
Coming to play volleyball
every afternoon.
it's also a great place to connect,
to interact with new people.
[man] Mm-hmm. Well,
my partners are from Cuba,
from Brazil, from Slovenia.
We got people from all over the world.
It's a blessing that we get
to enjoy this every day of our lives.
We live in paradise.
It always brings me home, to be here.
[woman] We play, like,
six to eight games.
Just super active, running around,
uh, go in the ocean, come back.
As the sun is setting,
we're looking at Ocean Drive.
I mean, it's literally a perfect life.
Miami is a melting pot.
There's people from all over the places.
So, how this works in a volleyball court?
We just moved apartments.
We had five friends come help us move.
Like, it's so special.
Play a cooperative sport together,
we go get dinner after.
It's the reason I love it here.
[Martin] Miami Beach is home
to the largest concentration
of Art Deco buildings in the entire world.
A style that developed
between the 1920s and 1940s,
and which today,
defines the city's visual identity.
This is where you say, "I'm in Miami."
[Chelsea] Exactly.
It looks familiar to you, right?
-[Martin] Yeah.
-You see it in the movies,
you see it in shows,
you see it a little bit of everywhere.
So, the Art Deco, it's one of the most
iconic features of Miami.
The vibrant colors, pastel…
-[Martin] Yeah.
-…the geometric shapes.
I'm gonna ask you,
when you're walking by here,
-what do you feel?
-I feel alive. I hear the music.
I see, like, the mixture
of all the cultures
that live in harmony here in Miami.
And that's what Miami gives you, flavor.
[lively instrumental music playing]
[music concludes]
[Martin] Today we're going to experience,
following up on Chelsea's suggestion,
Miami, from a few different perspectives.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] I'm telling you,
I love your surprises.
It tells you how, uh, complex
the city is as well.
[Chelsea] Exactly. You're able
to see the architecture, right?
I mean, right here,
we're going under one of the bridges,
MacArthur Bridge, which connected the city
-to Miami Beach at one point…
-Yeah, yeah.
…because they didn't have that connection.
You kind of understand it,
because you're able to see
how the city is able to connect
with all these different islands
and have that experience.
So, you think back to the genius
that was able to build all this.
[music concludes]
This is where the big houses,
the palm trees,
the beauty, the glamor…
this is where it's at.
[perky instrumental music playing]
Live here-- The musicians live here,
just to be able to hide out.
But let's talk about the history of it.
You had mob organizers, drug dealers,
that would come here to Miami,
to these little islands, to hide out.
-Al Capone lived here, right?
-Al Capone lived here.
Can you believe that?
And he even died in that house.
This is a very special spot right here.
It was a white house,
a big one with a huge swimming pool.
It was the house of Al Capone.
[camera shutter clicking]
He moved from New York to Miami.
He died here from syphilis.
And from this spot, an island,
he dominated the whole city.
On this journey,
there are still two things left to do.
Set foot on the sand
and dive into the world of soccer.
And we'll do it
alongside a very special guest.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[waves lapping]
[seagulls squawking]
[Martin, in Spanish] Marito.
-[Mario] What’s up, Martin? All good?
-[Martin] How are you going? I'm good.
-[Mario] You’re right on time.
-[Martin] Is that so?
-Let me see.
-[Mario] Nice place to have some, mate.
You have been living in the United States
for a long time.
And you arrived at a place…
that had nothing to do with soccer.
And suddenly, now,
there are many more people
living here who have a soccer culture,
-which used to be something rare.
-[Mario] It’s rubbed off on the Americans.
The arrival of the phenomenon, Messi,
has revolutionized everything.
-[Martin] Everything changed, right?
-But of course, there was a Messi boom.
-Inter Miami.
-Yes.
Fury. And now with the World Cup…
Before Messi arrived,
there were 300, 400 people
-who were going to see Inter Miami.
-It's incredible.
[Mario] Now, everything is sold out
for the next ten years.
Tickets go on sale and they sell out fast.
And now, until the new year,
we’ll see what happens.
But it will probably be sold out again.
And Leo’s impact has been felt
in the design of the World Cup.
-How do you see him?
-[Mario] Good.
-In the lead-up to the World Cup?
-[Mario] Good, good, very good.
Calm, relaxed.
And he also has that revolutionary quality
of a player who has won it all.
He has been and is the best in the world,
and he still has that desire.
It’s a city with a lot
of Argentine culture.
You go to the pitch,
and there are Argentinians.
-[Martin] They’re everywhere.
-Lots, lots and lots.
And that I think it’s not
the Argentinian people,
but the people who go to see the games
and see the Argentinian fans,
they end up more motivated.
-Yes.
-[Mario] Maybe against it.
Why? Because it’s clear
that they are the majority.
But that’s nice too.
It’s part of the soccer folklore.
[gentle instrumental music continues]
It's a beautiful day.
-This is… enjoying life.
-[Martin] You chose well.
[music concludes]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[Martin, in English] Miami
has become one of the cities
with the strongest Argentine influence
in the world, outside South America.
A community that's grown
hand-in-hand with an icon.
Walking through this city's neighborhoods
means rediscovering
that sense of Latino belonging,
a feeling directly linked to that idol.
It is an image that is here to stay,
and one that today,
represents Miami on the global stage.
A soccer culture that
has swept up locals and visitors alike,
reaching levels
that no one could have ever imagined.
[Christopher, in Spanish] The tattoo
is based on the Argentine coat of arms.
It’s modified with the letters "GPA."
It says, "Great Argentine People."
It’s the supporters’ group
that we founded in the United States
to unite Argentinians
who live far from Argentina.
Living in this city,
where you have all these communities,
where all the soccer players
come to hang out,
and it seemed an absurdity
that we didn’t have our own team.
I think the arrival of Leo
cemented it all.
It’s like all the eyes
of the world set are here,
and it’s a mark that will last forever.
[music concludes]
[intriguing instrumental music playing]
[Martin, in English]
From downtown Miami,
an inter-city train system
runs connecting the city center
to Aventura, Fort Lauderdale,
Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
Today, we're heading to the venue
that will serve as Miami's stage
for the World Cup.
A modern train ride
lasting just 20 minutes,
followed by a bus connection
directly to the stadium.
It is said to be one of the main
host venues for the 2026 World Cup.
We have arrived at Hard Rock Stadium,
the home of sports in the city.
Opened in 1987,
this site is probably one of the most
versatile stadiums on the entire planet.
As you enter the Hard Rock Stadium,
you can feel, sense the multipurpose
of this arena, of this complex.
We're standing right now
at the F1 track of Miami.
With Formula 1 tracks
curving around this sporting complex,
this venue presents itself
as a modern and renovated structure,
following multiple transformations.
After winning the bid over Orlando,
it now awaits its first World Cup.
[music concludes]
[machine whirring]
[Martin] What is going on here right now?
[Henry] We have five
of our newest machines here
to stitch for the World Cup.
Our machines are stitching
synthetic fibers into the pitch.
Uh, every nine centimeters
underneath the soil,
there is a piece of synthetic yarn,
which will make the pitch more resistant.
So, in a tournament like this,
when you have games every two days,
normally, without this technology,
the grass would become a lot more damaged.
But with this technology,
hopefully, you really won't see
the scars of the matches.
All of the top stadiums do it,
and even now,
it’s coming into the lower flight leagues.
How this technology works?
It recovers faster?
It recovers faster,
and it gets less damaged.
[machine beeping]
[Martin] The sounds that we're hearing
are the sounds
of the state-of-the-art technology,
the technology they're using here
to provide natural grass
for the next World Cup.
They’re sewing the grass,
as we speak, with this machine.
[thrilling classical music playing]
[music concludes]
[Martin] With an approximate capacity
of 65,000 spectators
and a roof covering 90% of the seats,
this is how this venue presents itself.
It is so special
to be standing here at pitch level
in such an iconic stadium,
the Hard Rock Stadium.
It's not just a stadium.
It's a very singular one. Why?
Because six Super Bowls
have been hosted here.
Also, Major League Baseball,
the final of Copa América,
the Tennis Open here in Miami
has taking place here,
and the Grand Prix of Miami,
the Formula 1.
It is a very special place
that will have a very unique role
in the next World Cup.
Seven matches,
including the third-place match,
will be contested at Miami Stadium,
alongside four group stage matches
and three knockout round matchups.
[gate rattling]
[man 1, in Spanish]
Let’s grab both murga drums.
-[man 2] Okay.
-[man 1] The repinique
-and the brass drum.
-[man 2] And a strap on top or not?
[man 1] Yes, we can add it now.
Now we’ll secure it
so that nothing falls off.
That goes there.
Look… Well, it’s the t-shirt I’m wearing.
Huh?
Okay, that’s it.
We have to make a stop to buy ice.
-Thanks.
-Okay.
[man 2] Today is going to be
a typical pregame for us,
where we bring the drums,
the tents, and the grill.
And at some point, one of the songs
talks about how we enjoy this as a family.
All these cars are our people.
[lively music playing]
[Martin] Now
that we've seen the stadium,
all that remains is to experience
the vibrant atmosphere and passion
we've heard so much about
regarding this city and its people.
[rhythmic drumming]
[fans chanting indistinctly]
[Walter, in Spanish]
Before, there were very few of us.
At the beginning,
we had about 100 or 150 people
who were the heart of the fan base.
They would give it their all.
Then more joined in.
We have almost 400 members.
But the beautiful thing about all this
is that they feel the passion
and energy of the band,
and the people singing and everything.
But what we want is for the people
who came for Leo
stay because they really like it,
and they feel the passion for soccer.
[rhythmic drumming]
We arrived at the Miami World Cup stadium,
and today, Inter is playing here.
That's why we can feel
the Latin sensations all over the place.
The food, the music,
the rhythm, and the singing.
[stirring orchestral music playing]
[Martin] And it is with them
that we wanted to experience the aromas,
and above all, the flavors.
Every great soccer and Latino gathering
features these essential ingredients.
The rest is provided
by a magnificent venue.
All eyes are set on the next World Cup,
with an audience
awaiting eager anticipation.
This was Last Train to North America.
See you at the next stop.
[music concludes]
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[music concludes]
long-distance rail system
features several specific routes
covering remarkable distances,
such as the Silver Service, for example,
which connects New York with Miami.
Today, we are heading south
to connect with Atlanta,
a journey of over 620 miles,
lasting nearly 18 hours.
Wow! This is a great way
to start a journey.
-It is, right?
-Yeah.
I wanted us to start here
just so I can express to you
how incredible this ride is going to be.
Perfect way to start.
Philadelphia connects with Atlanta.
[Martin] I'm really excited
to visit the stadium.
It's probably one of the first stadiums
that talks about modernity, futuristic.
It's not even just that.
It's not just a football…
it's a soccer stadium.
And that's how you start to realize
that the sport is growing in this country.
And also, Atlanta has a lot of history.
-It's one of the most historic cities.
-Yeah.
So many things…
important things happened there, so…
It's going to be a whole day experience.
So, a perfect way to start this
is with breakfast.
-Not breakfast, but American breakfast.
-A typical American breakfast.
-Sausages, scrambled eggs.
-A croissant, strawberries, coffee.
I can't wait to get to know Atlanta
and to start eating
-this beautiful breakfast.
-To start with this breakfast
-to get some energy, right? [laughs]
-Let's do it.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Starting the day on the train
with our traveling companion.
The southern states
of this country awaits us
along with new experiences.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
[music concludes]
[theme music playing]
[Martin] Welcome.
This is Last Train to Russia.
And from here,
we continue with Last Train to Qatar.
This is the stadium that will host
the next World Cup final.
[theme music concludes]
[Martin]
This is Last Train to North America.
[soft instrumental music playing]
Atlanta will host
the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
A city that knows
how to organize a big sporting event.
They played an amazing role
in the transformation of the city
in the 1996 Olympic Games.
Welcome to Atlanta.
[Stewart] After the games,
the city was really on the map,
and people knew where we were
and understood who we were as a city.
So, I think Olympic Games
were probably the most important event
in the city's history.
[music concludes]
[Stewart] During the Olympics,
Billy Payne, who was
the head of the Olympics,
came up with an idea to, uh, sell bricks,
and he raised the entire cost
of this park by individuals.
-I actually had a brick…
-Oh, really?
…that my dad bought for me.
-[Martin] So, you've never seen it?
-I've never seen it before.
I thought maybe
we could go try to find it.
[Martin] One of the most profound
and personal legacies
of the 1996 Atlanta games,
bricks engraved with personal names,
which served as the financial foundation
for developing this park,
and which today,
stand at the very heart of the city.
-Oh, I find it! It's here!
-[Stewart] No way!
-No way!
-[Martin] "Stewart Lathan," right?
-That's right. [chuckles]
-That's you.
-[Stewart] I gotta take a picture of it.
-[Martin] Yeah! Whoo!
-[camera shutter clicking]
-[Martin] How do you feel?
[Stewart] I feel like
I played a small part
in something that was really much bigger.
[somber classical music playing]
[Chelsea] Stewart, a significant event
happened here in this part of the park.
[Stewart] It was very late at night,
there was a concert going on,
and, completely unexpectedly,
a bomb went off.
People were devastated.
You know, so much of the Olympics
is about peace
and bringing people together,
had been destroyed in an instant.
This memorial is dedicated
to Richard Jewell,
who was the security guard that day,
and he was the one
that found the backpack
that was filled with, um, nails
and that had exploded.
Really, it could have been a lot worse,
were it not for Richard Jewell
to-- to find the backpack.
[somber classical music continues]
[music concludes]
[uplifting instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Our featured guest today,
Stewart, played a key role
in the development
of the 1996 Olympic Games.
This is the story of a young student
and an event
that changed her life forever,
and no less,
right here in her own hometown.
There's so many historical stuff
on this table. How do you get all this?
I actually designed
and produced the Olympic medals.
It was just a 25-year-old girl
in her second job out of college,
like, working on this.
The first pictures, like,
she didn't look very pretty.
And I kept on telling the artist
that I wanted her to look like,
if you're watching Paramount Pictures,
there's a woman…
-Yes, yes, yes, like that.
-…and she's holding a torch.
I said, "That's what
I want her to look like."
I was very proud, and I knew
what I was doing was really important.
And so, I really wanted to do a good job.
-You also carry the torch.
-I did.
They had a lottery
at the Atlanta committee
for the Olympic Games,
and they drew names out of the hat.
-[Martin] You won the lottery. [chuckles]
-I won the lottery, literally.
-No, but it's… it's a piece of history.
-It really is.
How do you think the city is
preparing for-- for the world--
the FIFA World Cup that is coming to town?
I think we've had a lot of experience,
so we're really excited,
and we're-- we're ready
to-- to welcome everybody
from all over the world.
[Martin] A local portrait
illustrating the significance
of hosting an event
of this magnitude for this city.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[indistinct announcement over PA]
[Martin] The city of Atlanta
boasts a highly developed
public transportation system.
A subway network featuring 38 stations
distributed across four lines,
and including a special stop
right at what will serve
as its World Cup stadium.
[gentle instrumental music continues]
[Martin] The world of football
has been talking about this stadium
for a long time.
Its futuristic facade gives us a taste
of what we can expect inside.
Welcome to the FIFA
World Cup stadium in Atlanta.
[music concludes]
[Martin] Opened in 2017,
this state-of-the-art stadium
is home to the city's NFL team,
the Atlanta Falcons,
and its MLS team, the Atlanta United.
[Sarah] This locker room
really is part of this vision
of "We want to be the epicenter
of soccer in North America."
And if you want soccer
to succeed here in Atlanta,
you've got to do
the right thing for the people,
and you've got to do
the right thing for the players,
and the rest will follow.
[Martin] How much
of the decision of Atlanta
to host the World Cup
had to do with the development,
with the soccer development,
with the stadium?
So when we were building this,
we thought about soccer,
and we thought about,
"How can you bring the rest of the world
here to want to play the game?"
But what makes this building
even more special is it doesn't matter
what's happening in this building,
it feels like it's your home.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] Without a doubt,
the staple of this city.
An imposing stadium
built at a cost of 1.6 billion dollars,
and with a capacity
of nearly 75,000 spectators.
[Adam] Welcome to the field
of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
World-class.
That was the mindset in developing.
Sightlines matter.
It's how you connect the fan to the event,
and then what's happening on the surface,
but it also increases
the player experience.
The fans are right on top of you.
It's intimate, they're loud.
Uh, it really adds
that little competitive advantage
that you might be looking for in a game.
We were built to be a soccer stadium.
But we're not just
an American football stadium.
We are both. It's not just a stadium,
it's the city of Atlanta.
We are built to host big, huge events.
You have the Olympics, the Super Bowls.
We’re set up, the infrastructure
here in Atlanta, the airport,
our MARTA rideshare system.
Um, it just sets up really well
to be on the World,
and a lot of thought
and intention were put into those.
The venue is kind of like
the cherry on top.
[stirring instrumental music playing]
[Martin] The place, when you hear
the last words, the feelings,
and you start to realize
that this will be a very important match.
This is probably one
of the most beautiful stadiums
of the next World Cup.
[music concludes]
[Martin] One of its stand-out features
is its retractable roof.
That is why this tour includes a visit
to the upper limits of this venue.
We ascend five stories
to discover this unique feature.
With an octagonal design,
inspired by the Pantheon in Rome,
it features eight translucent panels.
[Adam] This roof, we call the Oculus.
It is the most unique roof,
I think, in all of sports for sure,
if not maybe, like, the world.
[Chelsea] How long does it take
to open and close the roof?
The whole process is 45 minutes
with safety checks and visual checks,
but from the time the roof starts to move,
it's about eight and a half minutes.
-[Martin] That's really fast.
-Yeah.
What about the view? It is very special.
[Adam] Yeah, we're a little bit
over 300 feet in the air right now.
Um, so, pretty cool to watch an event
taking place from this height.
We don't often let people
watch from up here,
but as a roof crew member,
you might get to sneak a peek.
[thrilling classical music playing]
-[Martin] Wow, this cannot get better.
-[Adam] Yep.
This particular section
of the roof, actually,
this is where the roof lands
when it opens.
So, we require
a large surface area up here
for those pedals to actually move
out of the building and park here,
uh, until we’re ready to close it.
[Martin] Take advantage
of this amazing view.
Yeah, everyone wants
to come up here for that view.
[music concludes]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[Martin] We’re back on the train.
Where are we going now?
We're going to the southernmost point
of where the World Cup
will be held in the United States,
And that's one
of my favorite cities, Miami.
-[laughs]
-[chuckles] Mine too.
And I have never thought that Miami
would become such a soccer capital.
And that is-- that is because
of the little genius, Lionel Messi.
-The phenomenon, Lionel Messi…
-Yeah.
-…has made it become so big…
-Yeah.
…of people just wanting to watch games,
even people
that weren't even into soccer before.
But also, it's a melting pot
of the Latin culture.
You're going to see how different it is
from all the other cities
you've visited prior to this.
-I can't wait.
-I'm excited to take you.
[Martin]
Six hundred and five miles by train,
and an approximate travel time
of 35 hours, just to reach Miami.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Chelsea]
Well, Martin, welcome to Miami.
I love to start this way. Roller-skating,
Ocean Drive, next to the beach.
I mean, this is Miami, right?
It's exactly
what you see in the postcards.
Or even better,
because you're living it live.
The culture, the colors, the vibrancy!
And just wait, because this is not
the only point of view
-that you're going to have of Miami.
-It's not?
-No, it's not.
-I love how it starts.
-Okay, well, you see how it ends. [laughs]
-Let’s see it.
Known as the "Magic City"
for its rapid and astonishing growth,
we arrive in Miami,
the southernmost host city
in the United States.
[lively instrumental music playing]
[man] We’re extremely lucky,
'cause I moved here about 20 years ago.
I mean, I've learned,
like, three new languages,
danced 20 new rhythms.
Coming to play volleyball
every afternoon.
it's also a great place to connect,
to interact with new people.
[man] Mm-hmm. Well,
my partners are from Cuba,
from Brazil, from Slovenia.
We got people from all over the world.
It's a blessing that we get
to enjoy this every day of our lives.
We live in paradise.
It always brings me home, to be here.
[woman] We play, like,
six to eight games.
Just super active, running around,
uh, go in the ocean, come back.
As the sun is setting,
we're looking at Ocean Drive.
I mean, it's literally a perfect life.
Miami is a melting pot.
There's people from all over the places.
So, how this works in a volleyball court?
We just moved apartments.
We had five friends come help us move.
Like, it's so special.
Play a cooperative sport together,
we go get dinner after.
It's the reason I love it here.
[Martin] Miami Beach is home
to the largest concentration
of Art Deco buildings in the entire world.
A style that developed
between the 1920s and 1940s,
and which today,
defines the city's visual identity.
This is where you say, "I'm in Miami."
[Chelsea] Exactly.
It looks familiar to you, right?
-[Martin] Yeah.
-You see it in the movies,
you see it in shows,
you see it a little bit of everywhere.
So, the Art Deco, it's one of the most
iconic features of Miami.
The vibrant colors, pastel…
-[Martin] Yeah.
-…the geometric shapes.
I'm gonna ask you,
when you're walking by here,
-what do you feel?
-I feel alive. I hear the music.
I see, like, the mixture
of all the cultures
that live in harmony here in Miami.
And that's what Miami gives you, flavor.
[lively instrumental music playing]
[music concludes]
[Martin] Today we're going to experience,
following up on Chelsea's suggestion,
Miami, from a few different perspectives.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[Martin] I'm telling you,
I love your surprises.
It tells you how, uh, complex
the city is as well.
[Chelsea] Exactly. You're able
to see the architecture, right?
I mean, right here,
we're going under one of the bridges,
MacArthur Bridge, which connected the city
-to Miami Beach at one point…
-Yeah, yeah.
…because they didn't have that connection.
You kind of understand it,
because you're able to see
how the city is able to connect
with all these different islands
and have that experience.
So, you think back to the genius
that was able to build all this.
[music concludes]
This is where the big houses,
the palm trees,
the beauty, the glamor…
this is where it's at.
[perky instrumental music playing]
Live here-- The musicians live here,
just to be able to hide out.
But let's talk about the history of it.
You had mob organizers, drug dealers,
that would come here to Miami,
to these little islands, to hide out.
-Al Capone lived here, right?
-Al Capone lived here.
Can you believe that?
And he even died in that house.
This is a very special spot right here.
It was a white house,
a big one with a huge swimming pool.
It was the house of Al Capone.
[camera shutter clicking]
He moved from New York to Miami.
He died here from syphilis.
And from this spot, an island,
he dominated the whole city.
On this journey,
there are still two things left to do.
Set foot on the sand
and dive into the world of soccer.
And we'll do it
alongside a very special guest.
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[waves lapping]
[seagulls squawking]
[Martin, in Spanish] Marito.
-[Mario] What’s up, Martin? All good?
-[Martin] How are you going? I'm good.
-[Mario] You’re right on time.
-[Martin] Is that so?
-Let me see.
-[Mario] Nice place to have some, mate.
You have been living in the United States
for a long time.
And you arrived at a place…
that had nothing to do with soccer.
And suddenly, now,
there are many more people
living here who have a soccer culture,
-which used to be something rare.
-[Mario] It’s rubbed off on the Americans.
The arrival of the phenomenon, Messi,
has revolutionized everything.
-[Martin] Everything changed, right?
-But of course, there was a Messi boom.
-Inter Miami.
-Yes.
Fury. And now with the World Cup…
Before Messi arrived,
there were 300, 400 people
-who were going to see Inter Miami.
-It's incredible.
[Mario] Now, everything is sold out
for the next ten years.
Tickets go on sale and they sell out fast.
And now, until the new year,
we’ll see what happens.
But it will probably be sold out again.
And Leo’s impact has been felt
in the design of the World Cup.
-How do you see him?
-[Mario] Good.
-In the lead-up to the World Cup?
-[Mario] Good, good, very good.
Calm, relaxed.
And he also has that revolutionary quality
of a player who has won it all.
He has been and is the best in the world,
and he still has that desire.
It’s a city with a lot
of Argentine culture.
You go to the pitch,
and there are Argentinians.
-[Martin] They’re everywhere.
-Lots, lots and lots.
And that I think it’s not
the Argentinian people,
but the people who go to see the games
and see the Argentinian fans,
they end up more motivated.
-Yes.
-[Mario] Maybe against it.
Why? Because it’s clear
that they are the majority.
But that’s nice too.
It’s part of the soccer folklore.
[gentle instrumental music continues]
It's a beautiful day.
-This is… enjoying life.
-[Martin] You chose well.
[music concludes]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[Martin, in English] Miami
has become one of the cities
with the strongest Argentine influence
in the world, outside South America.
A community that's grown
hand-in-hand with an icon.
Walking through this city's neighborhoods
means rediscovering
that sense of Latino belonging,
a feeling directly linked to that idol.
It is an image that is here to stay,
and one that today,
represents Miami on the global stage.
A soccer culture that
has swept up locals and visitors alike,
reaching levels
that no one could have ever imagined.
[Christopher, in Spanish] The tattoo
is based on the Argentine coat of arms.
It’s modified with the letters "GPA."
It says, "Great Argentine People."
It’s the supporters’ group
that we founded in the United States
to unite Argentinians
who live far from Argentina.
Living in this city,
where you have all these communities,
where all the soccer players
come to hang out,
and it seemed an absurdity
that we didn’t have our own team.
I think the arrival of Leo
cemented it all.
It’s like all the eyes
of the world set are here,
and it’s a mark that will last forever.
[music concludes]
[intriguing instrumental music playing]
[Martin, in English]
From downtown Miami,
an inter-city train system
runs connecting the city center
to Aventura, Fort Lauderdale,
Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
Today, we're heading to the venue
that will serve as Miami's stage
for the World Cup.
A modern train ride
lasting just 20 minutes,
followed by a bus connection
directly to the stadium.
It is said to be one of the main
host venues for the 2026 World Cup.
We have arrived at Hard Rock Stadium,
the home of sports in the city.
Opened in 1987,
this site is probably one of the most
versatile stadiums on the entire planet.
As you enter the Hard Rock Stadium,
you can feel, sense the multipurpose
of this arena, of this complex.
We're standing right now
at the F1 track of Miami.
With Formula 1 tracks
curving around this sporting complex,
this venue presents itself
as a modern and renovated structure,
following multiple transformations.
After winning the bid over Orlando,
it now awaits its first World Cup.
[music concludes]
[machine whirring]
[Martin] What is going on here right now?
[Henry] We have five
of our newest machines here
to stitch for the World Cup.
Our machines are stitching
synthetic fibers into the pitch.
Uh, every nine centimeters
underneath the soil,
there is a piece of synthetic yarn,
which will make the pitch more resistant.
So, in a tournament like this,
when you have games every two days,
normally, without this technology,
the grass would become a lot more damaged.
But with this technology,
hopefully, you really won't see
the scars of the matches.
All of the top stadiums do it,
and even now,
it’s coming into the lower flight leagues.
How this technology works?
It recovers faster?
It recovers faster,
and it gets less damaged.
[machine beeping]
[Martin] The sounds that we're hearing
are the sounds
of the state-of-the-art technology,
the technology they're using here
to provide natural grass
for the next World Cup.
They’re sewing the grass,
as we speak, with this machine.
[thrilling classical music playing]
[music concludes]
[Martin] With an approximate capacity
of 65,000 spectators
and a roof covering 90% of the seats,
this is how this venue presents itself.
It is so special
to be standing here at pitch level
in such an iconic stadium,
the Hard Rock Stadium.
It's not just a stadium.
It's a very singular one. Why?
Because six Super Bowls
have been hosted here.
Also, Major League Baseball,
the final of Copa América,
the Tennis Open here in Miami
has taking place here,
and the Grand Prix of Miami,
the Formula 1.
It is a very special place
that will have a very unique role
in the next World Cup.
Seven matches,
including the third-place match,
will be contested at Miami Stadium,
alongside four group stage matches
and three knockout round matchups.
[gate rattling]
[man 1, in Spanish]
Let’s grab both murga drums.
-[man 2] Okay.
-[man 1] The repinique
-and the brass drum.
-[man 2] And a strap on top or not?
[man 1] Yes, we can add it now.
Now we’ll secure it
so that nothing falls off.
That goes there.
Look… Well, it’s the t-shirt I’m wearing.
Huh?
Okay, that’s it.
We have to make a stop to buy ice.
-Thanks.
-Okay.
[man 2] Today is going to be
a typical pregame for us,
where we bring the drums,
the tents, and the grill.
And at some point, one of the songs
talks about how we enjoy this as a family.
All these cars are our people.
[lively music playing]
[Martin] Now
that we've seen the stadium,
all that remains is to experience
the vibrant atmosphere and passion
we've heard so much about
regarding this city and its people.
[rhythmic drumming]
[fans chanting indistinctly]
[Walter, in Spanish]
Before, there were very few of us.
At the beginning,
we had about 100 or 150 people
who were the heart of the fan base.
They would give it their all.
Then more joined in.
We have almost 400 members.
But the beautiful thing about all this
is that they feel the passion
and energy of the band,
and the people singing and everything.
But what we want is for the people
who came for Leo
stay because they really like it,
and they feel the passion for soccer.
[rhythmic drumming]
We arrived at the Miami World Cup stadium,
and today, Inter is playing here.
That's why we can feel
the Latin sensations all over the place.
The food, the music,
the rhythm, and the singing.
[stirring orchestral music playing]
[Martin] And it is with them
that we wanted to experience the aromas,
and above all, the flavors.
Every great soccer and Latino gathering
features these essential ingredients.
The rest is provided
by a magnificent venue.
All eyes are set on the next World Cup,
with an audience
awaiting eager anticipation.
This was Last Train to North America.
See you at the next stop.
[music concludes]
[gentle instrumental music playing]
[music concludes]