Thousands cheer as USA beats Paraguay at FIFA Fan Fest

The second day of the FIFA Fan Fest inside Centennial Olympic Park had a lot to live up to after the first day, which took place on Thursday, June 11, and featured Mexican National Team fans showing up in a big way for El Tri. On Friday, the United States National Team supporters came out in full force as well. Thousands of fans filled the park to watch the United States defeat Paraguay 4-1. The match was the first for the Red, White, and Blue, and for many of the fans, it was an opportunity to have a World Cup moment without having to be at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. 

In a small sample size, just two days so far, the FIFA Fan Fest has delivered in several ways. Not only are tickets free, but there is plenty of room for fans to set up blankets and chairs for a match-watching experience.

One of those fans, Michael Krack, came downtown from Alpharetta to support the USA. There are plenty of bars in Alpharetta that were showing the match, but Krack wanted to be amongst soccer fans of all kinds. “Atlanta has a lot of diversity, and it’s been great to meet so many fans,” he said.

The first day of the FIFA Fan Fest took place on Thursday, June 11, and thousands of soccer fans flocked to the park to lay down blankets and seek shade under large umbrellas in the afternoon sun, in preparation for the tournament’s opening match: Mexico vs. South Africa from Mexico City. The amount of Mexico jerseys, flags, head scarves, hats, and t-shirts in the crowd gave the watch party -the match was broadcast on a huge television screen inside the park- a pro-Mexico feel.

Not to be outdone, there were fans wearing jerseys from the United States, England, Haiti, Germany, Colombia, Jamaica, Argentina, Ivory Coast, Brazil, France, and South Africa, too.

“I can imagine what previous city leaders must have felt like 30 years ago,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens from the stage an hour before the match. Dickens, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, and Atlanta Sports Council President Dan Corso shared the stage during an introduction. The FIFA Fan Fest will offer thousands of fans a chance to gather for soccer matches played across North America, including at nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium (temporarily named Atlanta Stadium during the tournament).

“We are thrilled to welcome all of our visitors to this great city,” Dickens said.

Moments before the national anthems for South Africa and Mexico were played, there was a quiet that came over the crowd inside the fan fest. After proper respect for the South African National Anthem, the Mexican National Anthem, “Himno Nacional Mexicano,” began. The largely Mexican crowd was loud enough to be heard in Suwanee.

A line in the song goes as follows: “Mexicanos, Al grito de guerra.” That translates to mean, “Mexican, at the cry of war.” Day one of the FIFA World Cup saw Mexico go ahead 1-0 at halftime and up 2-0 after 90 minutes. At the cry of war, Mexico landed the first blow of the World Cup.

Viva Atlanta. Via the FIFA World Cup.

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