Atlanta's World Cup will feel more like a festival than a finale

• "People are coming in a couple of days before the game, and then they stay for the game, and then we drop back down, and it starts to build till the next game," William Pate, the long-serving president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, told Axios.

Yes, but: There's still plenty happening between matches, including Fan Fest in Centennial Olympic Park, concerts at State Farm Arena, and watch parties for World Cup games played elsewhere.

• Pate envisions crowds circulating between hotels, bars, Fan Fest and other gatherings, in addition to participating countries establishing fan hubs around town.
• Spain, which is scheduled to play another match at Atlanta Stadium, has established a Casa España fan hub in South Downtown.

Fun fact: Most matches and fan activities are concentrated downtown, which could help limit regional traffic congestion, Pate said.

The bottom line: Think of Atlanta's 2026 hosting duties more like a multi-week music festival with some really big headliners rather than a nonstop Super Bowl.