ATLANTA — The excitement of the FIFA World Cup once again took over downtown Atlanta as thousands of fans gathered at the FIFA Fan Festival to watch one of the tournament’s final match days.
The atmosphere reached another level as Argentina defeated Egypt, sending fans dressed in blue and white into celebration.
Despite the summer heat, crowds filled the FIFA Fan Festival, with supporters from around the world singing, chanting and waving flags long before kickoff.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“We’re soccer fans. We’re a soccer family,” fan Denisha told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter. “Soccer brings everybody together.”
Many Argentina supporters arrived confident their team would come away with the win.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 11 charged in connection with arcade burglaries in metro Atlanta inspired by social media trend
- Lilburn police say one driver made a costly mistake during a traffic stop
- GSP cruiser involved in crash on GA 400 in Fulton County
“I hope Argentina comes and destroys Egypt,” fan Allouan told Channel 2 Action News before the match.
Just moments later, the crowd erupted as Argentina secured the victory, with cheers echoing throughout Centennial Olympic Park.
Following the match, fans continued the celebration by collecting one of the Fan Festival’s most popular souvenirs, the free Bank of America Fan Bands. Tuesday’s limited-edition giveaway included three collectible beads: a Round of 16 bead, an Argentina bead and an Egypt bead.
“It’s kind of become one of the big things,” one fan said.
The Fan Festival continues throughout the tournament, giving fans who don’t have tickets to matches inside Atlanta Stadium a place to watch games, celebrate with supporters from around the world and experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup in the heart of Atlanta.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]