Thousands gather at Atlanta FIFA Fan Festival despite extreme heat

ATLANTA - Centennial Olympic Park transformed into a massive celebration of global culture on Saturday as thousands of soccer fans packed downtown Atlanta for day three of FIFA's Fan Festival.

What we know:

A bustling crowd of international and local families took advantage of numerous community activities ahead of Sunday afternoon's matches. Fans representing different countries gathered at Centennial Olympic Park to celebrate the tournament, filling the downtown area with music and team colors.

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Attendees played games on the soccer pitch and visited brand installations, including a custom Lego popup. The weather was hot and humid on Saturday, prompting some of the younger children to run through the park's fountains to cool off while waiting for the games to begin.

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What they're saying:

The build-up brought intense energy from opposing sides, particularly from groups supporting Brazil and Morocco.

"It really gets you immersed into that whole FIFA experience," said Morocco fan Munib A., who noted the strength of his team. "It's a strong team, and we have, I think, we have a good chance. Hopefully that, you know, helps America become more of a soccer or football country, as they say. You know, I think, you know, this is still an underappreciated sport."

Brazil fans Glauco Lima and Ariana Lima shared a deep personal connection to the sport as they celebrated in the park. "We are passionate about football, soccer, so we love it. It's going to be very fun," Ariana said.

"Soccer for us is like a religion, so I think we're going to have a really big party," Glauco said. Ariana Lima added, "We're about to include our sixth star here, our sixth star."

​For local families and visitors, the open space provided an ideal environment to experience the global tournament together.

​"It's amazing we are so happy to have it here with so many people and have it local instead of just watching it at home," said a fan. "It's so much fun, hot but fun."

​Another fan from the same family group added, "We are going to watch the game, we love fan fest so far. Actually, we are grateful they came to Atlanta to have something to do and experience it."

​Despite the summer weather, attendees remained highly enthusiastic about the event's cultural scale and energy.

Weekend heat advisory: Hot and muggy

​"It's a little warm, but the vibes are good," said a fan. 

​Another fan echoed the excitement regarding the tournament's massive presence in Georgia.

​"This is one of the biggest things you know, a big stage, it's coming to Atlanta," he said. "I want to be out here to experience it all with all the different cultures from all over the world."

What's next:

The international soccer celebration will continue through the weekend in downtown Atlanta. Three tournament matches will be broadcast live on the big screens at the park layout on Sunday. Festival gates are scheduled to open to the public starting at 11 a.m.

​The festival has put Atlanta under a global spotlight, bringing an influx of visitors and economic activity to the city. Atlanta is scheduled to host its next major matchup on Monday, when Spain takes on Cabo Verde at Atlanta Stadium.

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed the total attendance numbers for the first three days of the downtown park event.

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