Kick It: A burning question, answered

Less than a month?! Is anyone else feeling kind of panicky? I’m not even going to a game! Here’s a quick recap of the Atlanta match dates, as well as the dates for some of the big city-backed World Cup events:

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ARE THESE ICONIC ATLANTA EXPERIENCES WORTH IT OR NAH?

Credit: Jenni Girtman/AJC

Credit: Jenni Girtman/AJC

Whether you’re going to a game or just taking the time to see Atlanta through new eyes, you may be tempted to try some super touristy things during the World Cup, just for the fun of it. Everyone’s different, so none of this is gospel. But if you want some bona fide Atlanta opinions ...

😍 Yeah! The Beltline, Ponce City Market, Piedmont Park

If you have friends in town and want to show them a cool corner of the city, this is your one-stop shop. You could spend all day (and plenty of money) eating unique foods and shopping at cute stores in Ponce City Market, but a nice stroll or ride on the adjacent Beltline takes you right to the crown jewel of Atlanta’s parks.

😐 Eh: SkyView Atlanta

If you’ve been on a Ferris wheel, you’ve been on a Ferris wheel. The one in Centennial Park is a nice one, sure, with enclosed cars and everything. Just don’t get to thinking about what people have gotten up to in said enclosed cars.

😍 Yeah! The Battery ATL

The area around Truist Park (might as well catch a Braves game, too!) has great food, live music venues and places for walking, talking, gawking and sitting. Big downside: It’s not accessible by rail, and is quite a haul by bus.

😐 Eh: Georgia Aquarium

Our team was split on this one. It’s great for kids, and is a beautiful facility. However, the aquarium can get incredibly crowded and expensive. If you go, do some extra planning, hunt down discounts, allow plenty of time to get there and don’t skimp on the mood-stabilizing prescription drugs

😍 Yeah! Live music

I love to slip in a concert or show when I travel to another city, and I mean, c’mon. It’s Atlanta. We know what we’re doing, music-wise. Some iconic places to research:

😐 Eh: World of Coke

This is another one that’s pretty good for kids, but unless you’re a Coke or history die-hard it’s fine to skip if you have other things on your list.

😍 Yeah! The Atlanta History Center, National Civil Rights Museum

If you’re looking for history, the AHC is celebrating its centennial with all kinds of cool exhibits, and it’s situated on a pretty piece of property. You can also visit the Swan House, which is used in a lot of movies. The Civil Rights Museum downtown just got a makeover, and is a must-visit for Atlantans and tourists alike. As one of our team members said, “I got chills.”

MORE OFF-THE-BEATEN PATH SUGGESTIONS

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

🪩 For the adults: Yes, Atlanta is known for its adult entertainment venues. I don’t know if, journalistically, we should recommend any. However, another newsletter team member who shall remain nameless recommended the Clermont Lounge “as a bizarre-o sort of out-of-body experience, not a strip club.” We’ll take his word.

👻 For spooky times: Atlanta’s historic Oakland Cemetery is part history, part hallowed ground, and part beautiful park. They do tours and other gatherings, and it scratches that “undeniably Atlanta” itch while still being a little different.

🧇 For a glimpse of a different dimension: Any given Waffle House at 3 a.m. Honestly, this is probably the most Atlanta suggestion on the list.

HALFTIME QUIZ!

About how long is a FIFA regulation soccer pitch (field)? Answer in Match Notes.

WHY DO WE CALL IT SOCCER, ANYWAY?

Let’s settle this once and for all, so when non-Americans razz us about it we can at least have an explanation. For the purposes of this bit, I will also use the term football. Fair warning, it’s a little humiliating.

It’s actually the Brits’ fault

In the UK in the 1800s, football actually meant two things: There was rugby football, what we know as rugby; and association football, which we know as European/everywhere-but-America football.

To differentiate the sports, some people called rugby “ruggers” and association football ...

...

assoccer.

(Like as in association? Assoc ... you get it. Mercifully, it was shortened further to just “soccer.”)

Meanwhile, in the U.S., a third type of football was taking off: gridiron football. Because we don’t posses the whimsical wordsmithery of our trans-Atlantic cousins, we didn’t call it “gridders” or “griddly-doo” or whatever. We were sensible and called it, simply, football. The existing “soccer” term was a fine second choice for the other sport.

Now you know, and you never have to feel bad about it again.

MORE THINGS TO KNOW

🏢 Part of The Center, the new public space in the old CNN building downtown, is now open. This is where the Atlanta Cultural Exchange will set up shop during the World Cup. It’s also one of the closest readily-accessible places with air conditioning around Atlanta Stadium.

💃🏽 The Americanization of the World Cup is complete. FIFA announced a Super Bowl-style World Cup final halftime show featuring Shakira, Madonna and BTS. OK, that lineup sounds amazing.

🎥 Another immersive World Cup experience is coming to Atlanta. Cosm, a 70,000-square-foot entertainment venue downtown with planetarium-like immersive views, will showcase more than 40 games during the tournament.

MATCH NOTES

Well played, everyone. Except the Brits. I’m still a little mad about assoccer.

Quiz answer: While every field is a little different, FIFA recommends a length of 105 meters, or roughly 345 feet.

We can’t wait to see more of you!

As the tournament gets closer, Kick It will come to your inbox a little more frequently. Nothing crazy — we all have lives, after all.

Once the World Cup starts, we’ll kick into high gear with notes about upcoming matches and more specific recommendations of where to eat, visit, and/or hide from the crowds.

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Kick It Questions, comments, ideas? Drop us a line.

Until next time.