Wink and Solomon Group Bring Atlanta to The World Through FIFA Fan Festival

Aug. 03, 2026

Solomon Group and WINK, both recognized for delivering world-class concerts, festivals, and experiential activations around the globe, have concluded the delivery of one of the largest and most diverse public celebrations of football, community, and culture in the United States during the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

After welcoming 536,263 visitors across 19 operating days, FIFA Fan Festival™ Atlanta concluded its run at Centennial Olympic Park, establishing itself as one of the defining public celebrations of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the United States.

The free festival brought together live match broadcasts, headline concerts, Atlanta-based talent, cultural programming, local food and beverage, and immersive sponsor activations. Performances by Ludacris, Davido, Big Boi, Jermaine Dupri, Kat Graham, Killer Mike, and CeeLo Green headlined a programme featuring more than 100 artists, DJs, performers, and community organizations.

WINK led the creative platform, cultural strategy, programming, and overall fan journey, while Solomon Group delivered production, technical execution, site operations, logistics, and stakeholder coordination. Together, the teams combined creative vision with the operational expertise required to deliver a high-capacity public festival in the heart of downtown Atlanta.

At the heart of the festival was a simple creative idea: Welcome Home.

Rather than imposing a generic festival identity, the event celebrated Atlanta itself. Inspired by the city’s tradition of Southern hospitality, the creative platform elevated local artists, neighborhoods, businesses, food, and cultural communities, allowing Atlanta’s character to shape how the festival looked, sounded, and felt.

Atilla Meijs, Executive Producer at WINK said:

“Our role wasn’t simply to produce a festival. It was to create a platform that reflects Atlanta․ The best fan experiences happen when local culture takes center stage. Atlanta has incredible creative talent, food, diversity, and a genuine passion for football. Our job was to connect those stories with a global audience while creating a free experience that brought fans as close as possible to the excitement of the tournament.”

 

Commercial partners Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Michelob ULTRA, Bank of America, Casamigos, LEGO®, The Home Depot®, and the FIFA® Store added depth through interactive activations, hospitality, sampling, and fan engagement. Atlanta also featured the only LEGO® activation across all FIFA Fan Festival™ locations, creating a distinctive family-friendly destination.

Host City Supporters NAPA Auto Parts and Southern Company further enhanced the festival, with Southern Company providing a branded shade structure that supported guest comfort during periods of elevated temperatures.

Across its 19-day run, the festival broadcast 56 FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches, delivered 186 hours of live programming, hosted 16 commercial partner activations, and featured more than 100 food, beverage, retail, and community partners. Peak attendance exceeded 45,000 guests in a single day, requiring close coordination across production, venue operations, public safety, transportation, medical services, hospitality, programming, and commercial delivery, with operating plans adapting daily to weather, attendance, and tournament schedules.

Alex Fish, Solomon Group said:

“We always knew that success would take a collective effort from passionate, talented professionals from a number of disciplines. It has been a privilege to work alongside the GWCCA, the Atlanta Host Committee, city and state agencies, and so many others to create an experience that celebrated Atlanta’s global community while welcoming fans from around the world.”

 

Lauren Terrien, Head of FIFA Fan Festivals, USA said:

“FIFA Fan Festival™ gives fans a place to experience the tournament together while allowing every host city to express its own identity. Atlanta delivered a powerful expression of that purpose. WINK and Solomon Group combined creative vision, cultural relevance, and operational excellence to create an experience that felt unmistakably Atlanta.”

 

The successful delivery of the festival was made possible through close collaboration between FIFA, the FIFA World Cup 26™ Atlanta Host Committee, Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the City of Atlanta, public safety agencies, commercial partners, local businesses, vendors, artists, and community organizations.

Joe Bocherer, Chief Commercial Officer at Georgia World Congress Center Authority said:

“WINK and Solomon Group brought exceptional leadership, agility, and care to a project of remarkable scale. The festival reflects what strong partnerships, thoughtful planning, and disciplined execution can achieve.”

 

FIFA Fan Festival™ Atlanta leaves behind a blueprint for how major public events can combine world-class production with authentic local culture, creating experiences that resonate with residents, visitors, partners, and fans at every level.