FIFA released on social media the first round of artists set to play at Centennial Olympic Park during the upcoming FIFA Fan Festival, including Afrobeats superstar Davido, Atlanta R&B singer CeeLo Green and Southern rap group Nappy Roots.
The event, which spans 18 days between June 11 and July 15, is free but requires advance registration. VIP tickets, ranging from $45 to $325, are available as well.
A spokesperson for the Georgia World Congress Center said a schedule will be released soon on the FIFA Fan Fest website and social media.
Credit: Photo by Robb Cohen for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Photo by Robb Cohen for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Davido, who was born to Nigerian parents at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, became a worldwide Afrobeats star with massive hits including “If” and “Fall.” He sold out State Farm Arena last November.
CeeLo Green is part of Atlanta’s soul and hip-hop royalty — thanks to his work in Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley, as well as his solo albums over the past 35 years.
“I consider myself to be a provocateur, an escape artist, an impresario,” Green recently told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution while promoting the first Gnarls Barkley album in 18 years.
Grammy-nominated Nappy Roots, an alternative hip-hop group formed in Kentucky, has evolved from a major label act to independent entrepreneurs. In 2022, two Nappy Roots members opened Atlanta brewery Atlantucky Brewing, which remains a popular hangout spot.
Credit: Kymani Culmer
Credit: Kymani Culmer
Others who are performing include Decatur rock and soul band Hero the Band and “Vampire Diaries” actor and singer Kat Graham, a Decatur resident who performs pop, R&B and electronic dance music.
Atlanta’s FIFA Fan Fest, which will have a capacity of 15,000 people at one time, will enable fans to watch key World Cup games on a 40-foot screen and features an entertainment stage, food trucks, artists and a kids area.
Unlike the free Super Bowl fan fest in 2019 at Centennial Olympic Park, which was entirely funded by the NFL, FIFA is not providing funding for this fan fest. (The event featured Pastor Troy, Goodie Mob, Monica and ATLiens, among others.)
Instead, this festival is funded by a multitude of sources — including Georgia World Congress Center operational funding, state-supported public safety and infrastructure investments, FIFA partner activations and revenues from concessions, hospitality and VIP ticket sales.
In a statement provided to the AJC, the Georgia World Congress Center said it “is optimistic that, with favorable weather and strong attendance, event-generated revenue could offset a significant portion of overall operating costs.”
Other cities hosting World Cup games are holding different types of fan fests. Kansas City so far has released the most ambitious music slate — which includes Sheryl Crow, the Chainsmokers, Flo Rida, the All-American Rejects and Gabby Barrett. Miami’s fan fest will feature global music stars Carlos Vives and DJ Cassidy at Lummus Park, and pop-Latin duo Domino Saints at the FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park.
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