Atlanta
Location: Centennial Olympic Park
Size: 22 acres; capacity of 15,000
Duration: 18 days between June 11 and July 15
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free with advance registration
- GA+: $45-$65; includes private restroom, bar and viewing area
- VIP package: $225-$325; includes drinks, food stations and air-conditioned hospitality area
The vibe: Atlanta’s FIFA Fan Festival, designed in collaboration with Solomon Group and WINK, will feature four programming areas, including a main stage for concerts and match viewings; The Playground, with activations and games for younger fans; The Pitch, a community stage for podcasts and multimedia experiences; and Georgia Street, a showcase for local artists and vendors.
Boston
Location: City Hall Plaza
Size: 3.5 acres; capacity of 5,000
Duration: 16 days from June 12-27
Ticketing/premium: Free with advance registration
The vibe: Built by DMSE Sports, Boston’s FIFA Fan Festival is centrally situated to encourage visiting fans to explore downtown bars and restaurants, including the nearby Faneuil Hall Marketplace and The Dubliner, named one of Men in Blazers’ best soccer bars in America. The event will be open through the end of the group stage, but not for either of the city’s knockout matches.
Dallas
Location: Fair Park
Size: 23 acres; capacity of 35,000
Duration: 34 days between June 11 and July 19
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free
- GA+: $50; includes expedited entry, preferred viewing location and lounge access
- Legend Ticket: $250; includes reserved box seating, in-seat waiter service and lawn deck access
The vibe: Dallas’ FIFA Fan Festival, produced and operated by C3 Presents, will be open on all 34 World Cup match days. The space is anchored by The Pavilion at Fair Park, which features 7,000 covered seats and 13,000 lawn seats for watching matches. It also features a dedicated playground area with a mini-pitch, and other activities in Fair Park Lots 9 and 10.
Guadalajara
Location: Plaza de la Liberación
Capacity: 40,000
Duration: All 39 days from June 11-July 19
Ticketing/premium: Free with advance registration
The vibe: The FIFA Fan Festival in Guadalajara is being dubbed the “The Most Mexican Fiesta,” a fitting title for an event headlined by two iconic local creations: Mariachi music and tequila. About 10 miles from Estadio Akron, the Plaza is located between the Guadalajara Cathedral and Teatro Degollado, with the National Palace and Regional Museum serving as a backdrop.
Houston
Location: East Downtown (EaDo)
Size: 8.3 acres; capacity of 15,000
Duration: 34 days between June 11 and July 19
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free
- Cabanas: Pricing TBA
- Group Hospitality: Legends Loft (pricing varies)
The vibe: Open on all 34 World Cup match days, Houston’s FIFA Fan Festival will feature fare from 19 local restaurateurs and an array of cultural experiences. The Esphera, a projection dome inspired by the official match ball, will serve as the centerpiece of the festival. An adjacent celebration put on by the Houston Dynamo and Dash will extend the festivities into Shell Energy Stadium.
Kansas City
Location: National WWI Museum and Memorial
Size: 44 acres; capacity of 25,000
Duration: 18 days between June 11-July 11
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free with advance registration
- Premium Garden experience: $55; includes expedited entry, exclusive viewing area, premium restrooms, a dedicated bar area and access to premium food
- Legacy Lounge: $225; includes air-conditioned lounge access, all-inclusive food options and a premium beverage package
The vibe: Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Festival will feature lots of live music, including performances by The Chainsmokers and Flo Rida. Populous contributed to its hometown’s fan festival layout and design effort. Via a sponsorship deal with Purina, the K.C. Fan Festival will feature three pet-friendly days with exclusive pet kits on offer. The city’s host committee is also hosting VIPs at the three-story KCHouse pop-up space on Country Club Plaza.
Los Angeles
Location: L.A. Memorial Coliseum
Size: 17 acres.
Duration: Four days, June 11-14
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: $10
- Children 12 & Under: Free
- Reserved club seats and loge boxes: $30
The vibe: Los Angeles will host a four-day FIFA Fan Festival at the Coliseum to mark the opening of the World Cup, along with a series of other unofficial Fan Zones across Southern California throughout the competition. Food and beverage offerings at the Coliseum will highlight the cuisine of participating nations, including South African favorites such as bunny chow; Mexican staples, including carne asada quesadillas; Canadian comfort foods like poutine; and Japanese sushi. Redrock Entertainment is contributing production expertise to L.A.’s fan festival.
Mexico City
Location: Zócalo
Size: 14 acres; capacity of 100,000
Duration: 39 days from June 11-July 19
Ticketing/premium: Free
More info: Zócalo is one of the largest public plazas in the world and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, dating to its time as a central gathering place for the Aztec Empire. The FIFA Fan Festival is expected to host an estimated 60,000 people daily, and as many as 100,000 when Mexico plays, including the tournament opener on June 11 against South Africa. A souped-up sound system has been added to the plaza, which will feature a historic exhibit focused on the ancient Aztec ball game that was formerly played in the square. An additional 16 satellite fan zones will be positioned throughout the sprawling Mexico City metro area.
Miami
Location: Bayfront Park
Size: 10 acres; capacity of 30,000
Duration: 23 days from June 13-July 5
Ticketing/premium: Free
The vibe: Bayfront Park, on Miami’s famous Biscayne Bay, is located 16 miles from Hard Rock Stadium, though likely much closer to where most visiting fans will be staying. A 10,000-capacity amphitheater stage will host live entertainment and music throughout the festival, which expects roughly 30,000 fans each day. Visitors can add their photos and messages to Faces of Fan Festival, a visual collage that will live beyond this summer’s tournament.
Monterrey
Location: Parque Fundidora
Size: 142 acres
Duration: 39 days from June 11-July 19
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free
- Preferred access and VIP tickets: $49 and $170
The vibe: Just five miles from Estadio BBVA, the FIFA Fan Festival at Parque Fundidora will feature performances by global headliners Imagine Dragons, Enrique Iglesias and Grupo Firme. Apodaca Group is helping Monterrey put on the event. The massive urban park includes a convention center, arena, trails and a human-made canal inspired by San Antonio’s River Walk.
New York/New Jersey
Featured locations: Sports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, N.J.); USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (Queens); Rockefeller Center (Manhattan); Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn)
Duration: Varies by site
Ticketing/premium:
- Fan Hub at Sports Illustrated Stadium: $10
- Other events: Free
The vibe: The host market for the World Cup Final scrapped plans for what would have been the tournament’s largest FIFA Fan Festival at Liberty State Park, instead opting for mid-sized events in all five boroughs of New York City and New Jersey, plus smaller community events across the region. Featured sites include the Fan Village in partnership with Telemundo at Rockefeller Center and an Adidas-sponsored event at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Philadelphia
Location: Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park
Size: 23 acres; capacity of 25,000
Duration: 39 days from June 11-July 19
Ticketing/premium: Free with advance registration
The vibe: The city has invested $450,000 to set up a bus service specifically serving its FIFA Fan Festival, situated northwest of downtown on the shores of the Schuylkill River, about 8 1/2 miles from Lincoln Financial Field. Redrock Entertainment contributed design and production consultation. Outside the fan festival, the Philadelphia host committee is offering VIP hospitality at Stateside Live, which is adjacent to the stadium.
San Francisco/Bay Area
Featured locations: San Pedro Square Market (San Jose), Pier 39 (San Francisco)
Duration: Varies by site
Ticketing/premium: Free admission to all watch parties
The vibe: The Bay Area Host Committee opted to eschew an official FIFA Fan Festival in favor of a more widely distributed approach that features more than 30 events across the region. The San Jose Earthquakes are hosting the largest event at San Pedro Square Market, which will show all 104 matches, with other local sports teams including the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco Giants also getting involved.
Seattle
Location(s): Seattle Center, Pacific Place, Waterfront Park and Victory Hall
Duration: Each location is open for at least the six matches played in Seattle
Ticketing/premium: Free admission at each location
The vibe: Rather than hosting an official FIFA Fan Festival, the Seattle host committee is promoting four celebrations in city limits, plus another 10 across the state. The most visually stunning will likely be a floating Soccer Celebration hosted by the Seattle Sounders and Reign at Pier 62. The Seattle Mariners are also hosting a celebration of their own at Victory Hall. The Pacific Place Mall has installed a new four-story LED board on which to watch matches, while the Seattle Center event sits in the shadow of the iconic Space Needle and Climate Pledge Arena.
Toronto
Location: Fort York and The Bentway
Size: 43 acres; capacity of 20,000
Duration: 22 days
Ticketing/premium:
- GA: Free with advance registration
- Garden Pavilion: $72.40; features a shaded, open-air space with its own viewing screen
- Pitchside Terrace: $109; includes an elevated viewing area and private bathrooms
- Casamigos Clubhouse: $217; a private, double-decker lounge with unobstructed views of live entertainment and match broadcasts
The vibe: Toronto’s FIFA Fan Festival is being held at the site of the War of 1812’s Battle of York that also includes The Bentway, a public park created beneath the elevated Gardiner Expressway. The music lineup over the course of June and early July reflects Toronto’s status as one of North America’s most global cities. Fort York sits 3 miles from BMO Field, just south of Toronto’s main downtown commercial district. Vendors hired to run the festival include The Fifth, Candace&Allison, One Twenty Eight, LOFT Entertainment and Paquin Artists Agency.
Vancouver
Location: Hastings Park and Freedom Mobile Arch
Size: 100 acres; capacity of 25,000
Duration: 28 days
Ticketing/premium:
- Standard admission: Free
- Amphitheater, GA lawn: From $32; includes fast-track entry to festival site and access to headline performances
- Amphitheater, reserved seating: From $83; includes fast-track entry to festival site and access to headline performances
The vibe: In with a shout for the best FIFA Fan Festival backdrop (the North Shore Mountains), Vancouver’s event will sit about a 20-minute car ride from BC Place. The centerpiece will be a new $75 million, 10,000-capacity indoor/outdoor amphitheater, Freedom Mobile Arch, which boasts the world’s largest timber free-span roof. Motley Crüe and The Revivalists are among the bands playing the new amphitheater during the World Cup.
