Atlanta festivals, events and parties to check out during the FIFA World Cup
Festivals, watch parties and screenings will soon mobilize across metro Atlanta in celebration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While bars and restaurants around the metro area will switch their channels to soccer, city centers and local developments are getting in on the fun with soccer festivals and family-friendly programming.
Here is a running list of upcoming festivals and events centered around soccer this summer.
Ashford Lane
This Dunwoody development will celebrate the World Cup with a kickoff party and several free watch party events.
Programming includes:
- World Cup Kickoff. Begin the festivities with a community event featuring kids activities, soccer experiences and food and drink specials.
- 4-7 p.m. June 6. 4500 Olde Perimeter Way, Atlanta.
- USA vs Australia. Cheer on the U.S. during this watch party playing on the big screen with to-go drinks available.
- 2-5 p.m. June 19. 4500 Olde Perimeter Way, Atlanta.
- World Cup Final Watch Party. Catch the final match of the tournament at Ashford Lane.
- 2-6 p.m. July 19. 4500 Olde Perimeter Way, Atlanta.
Atlanta Beltline Fest
Head to Pittsburgh Yards for a free, two-day celebration of soccer, music, food and community along the Atlanta Beltline’s Southside Trail. There will be live match screenings throughout the weekend, including a headlining watch party for Spain vs Saudi Arabia on June 21.
Throughout the festival, attendees can expect live music, local food and retail vendors, soccer clinics, cooking demos, cultural art performances and DJ sets, according to a news release.
Match programming includes:
- Netherlands vs Sweden, 1 p.m. June 20.
- Germany vs Ivory Coast, 4 p.m. June 20.
- Spain vs Saudi Arabia, noon June 21.
- Belgium vs Iran, 3 p.m. June 21.
10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 20-21. 352 University Ave. SW, Atlanta. beltline.org
Decatur WatchFest
The city of Decatur will launch a 34-day celebration for FIFA World Cup with 14 free concerts on Decatur Square, plus three ticketed concerts featuring the Kickoff Celebration headliner Big Boi, as well as the War and Treaty and Indigo Girls later in the festival.
In addition to the musical programming, Decatur WatchFest will have outdoor screenings of matches, and fans can catch other games inside Decatur’s restaurants, breweries and pubs.
June 11-July 19. 509 N. McDonough St., Decatur. decaturwatchfest26.com
FIFA Fan Festival
Centennial Olympic Park will be the home of the official FIFA Fan Festival for 18 days during the World Cup, with live screenings of matches, music, games and vendors. The festival will be free to attend, but participants should register in advance online.
The Fan Fest will include several different zones of programming, including a main stage with a 40-foot screen broadcasting matches, live music, entertainment and games; a family-oriented playground with face painting and other activities; a community soccer pitch for small matches and podcasting; and a stretch of Georgia-based vendors offering food, crafts and products from across the region.
More details on event programming and performances will be announced in the coming weeks.
June 11-July 15. 265 Park Ave. W. NW, Atlanta. atlantafwc26.com
Georgia, the Whole Day Through
This immersive, interactive experience highlighting Georgia’s culture, landscape and businesses will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center’s Registration Hall on multiple FIFA World Cup match days June 11-July 15.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development in partnership with the GWCC will showcase all the state has to offer with exhibits and local businesses in attendance. Guests can enjoy some of the music and art that defines Georgia while enjoying tastes of breweries, wineries and the cuisine that thrive here, according to a news release.
Entry is free and no registration is required.
Event dates:
- 1-6 p.m. June 11
- 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 15
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m. June 18
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m. June 21
- Noon-9 p.m. June 24
- 1-10 p.m. June 27
- 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 1
- 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 7
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m. July 15
June 11-July 15. 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, Atlanta. exploregeorgia.org
O4W Kickoff Festival
The Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association will host the O4W kickoff festival, a three-day celebration marking the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta.
Programming includes:
- The O4W Bar Crawl. Embark on a bar crawl through some of the neighborhood’s popular restaurants and bars along the Eastside Beltline and the Edgewood corridor with World Cup country-themed food and events.
- 5-10 p.m. June 11. Multiple locations.
- USA vs Paraguay viewing party. Watch the USA team’s opening match in Historic Fourth Ward Park for free with jumbo screens, a DJ and food vendors.
- 4 p.m. June 12. 680 Dallas St., Atlanta.
- O4W Youth Soccer Program Launch. On June 13, the festival will hold a kids soccer event with pickup games and fun skill-building activities for Atlanta kids. It will mark the introduction of the new O4W Youth Soccer Program that will provide youth soccer programming for underserved kids in the neighborhood.
- 9-11:30 a.m. June 13. Free for kids 5-13. 680 Dallas St., Atlanta.
June 11-13. Multiple locations. o4wna.org
Smorgasburg
Smorgasburg, an outdoor food festival that takes place in the streets of South Downtown, will temporarily become the World Grub as it opens for every World Cup match day from June 11-July 19.
The World Grub will feature a lineup of street food and drink vendors and specials inspired by countries around the world, as well as a screen showing every World Cup match, the Pitch Beer Garden with all-day watch parties, DJs and soccer activities and surprises throughout the tournament, according to a social media announcement.
Weekly schedules of events will be announced during the tournament.
11 a.m.-7 p.m. match days and Saturdays from June 11-July 19. Free entry. 140 Forsyth St. SW, Atlanta. instagram.com/smorgasburgatlanta
The Interlock
This development in west Midtown is launching Culture Haus, a 30-day soccer experience from June 11-July 19 with more than 100 events centered around sports, lifestyle and entertainment, according to a news release.
There will be daily programming with soccer watch parties, wellness programming, live music and interactive fan experiences. Weekly match screenings will be held along Beeline Boulevard and at locations like Holiday Bar, F1 Arcade and Puttshack. There will be a rotating lineup of DJs and artist collectives, as well as cultural nights with international music and cuisine aligned with competing teams.
Culture Haus attendees can also train like athletes with prmatch wellness experiences from Hills 4 ATL, Sunrei Wellness, Orangetheory Fitness, Lululemon, Bach Fitness and local yoga instructors.
June 11-July 19. 1115 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta. theinterlockatl.com/what-is-cultural-haus
The Works
Head to the Upper Westside’s mixed-use development the Works for its All the Soccer Things party, featuring weeks of art, live music, public watch parties and giveaways. Throughout the event, the Works will partner with Soccer in the Streets, the nonprofit focused on making soccer accessible to Atlanta’s youth, and All Stripes, an Atlanta United fanbase dedicated to LGBTQ+ soccer fans.
Programming includes:
- Movie and Match Night. Head to the Camp Street Garden for a screening of the movie “Kicking & Screaming” followed by a watch party for the USA vs Paraguay match at 6 p.m.
- 4 p.m. June 12. Camp Street Garden, 204 Chattahoochee Row NW, Atlanta.
- All the Soccer Things Kickoff. Check out a drum performance by Brazuka Percussion, a local drum line found in the fan zone of every Atlanta United game, on Camp Street. Afterward, catch watch parties for Qatar vs Switzerland and Brazil vs Morocco at 3 p.m. and Haiti vs Scotland at 9 p.m.
- 1 p.m. June 13. Camp Street Garden, 204 Chattahoochee Row NW, Atlanta.
- Jersey Fridays. Every Friday in June and July, wear a soccer jersey and receive special discounts at Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, Your 3rd Spot, Chattahoochee Food Works, Dr. Scofflaw’s, American Axes, Love Train Antiques and Chicheria Mexican Kitchen.
- Summer Satur-daze Summer Music Series. Every Saturday in June and July, catch live music.
- Watch Parties
- Spain vs Saudi Arabia and Belgium vs Iran, noon, June 21. The Camp, 1295 Chattahoochee Ave. NW, Atlanta.
- Uruguay vs Cape Verde and New Zealand vs Egypt, 6 p.m. June 21. The Camp, 1295 Chattahoochee Ave. NW, Atlanta.
- World Cup final match. 3 p.m. July 19. The Camp, 1295 Chattahoochee Ave. NW, Atlanta.
June 5-July 17. theworksatl.com
About the Author
Olivia Wakim is a reporter on the lifestyle team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
