Underground Atlanta to Argentina soccer fans: Come here, let's party

Shaneel Lalani, the owner of historic downtown district Underground Atlanta for nearly six years, summarizes the impact of 2026 FIFA World Cup so far as follows: 

“There has been a clear uptick in pedestrian energy,” said Lalani, CEO of Lalani Ventures, in a Sunday statement. “With thousands of tourists and locals coming downtown, businesses are thriving, and the streets have never felt so energized.”

With Atlanta’s Round of 16 match now set between Argentina and Egypt—kicking off at noon Tuesday at Atlanta Stadium—Underground Atlanta is aiming to punch its festivities up a notch, as with other buzzing World Cup hotspots around the city, including South Downtown, Decatur, The CTR, and of course the official FIFA Fan Festival™ (unfortunately closed for USA’s match this evening).

Starting at noon today, Underground Atlanta is hosting a two-day Argentine Fan Festival and watch party that will include live music and the official fan walk through downtown to the city’s biggest sports coliseum. 

Festivities are free and open to the public. (Until Underground’s outdoor venue reaches capacity, that is, after which tickets will be required to enter, according to district reps.) 

Day one will include a concert this evening with Argentine band La T y La M, a group that “blends traditional cumbia with contemporary production methods to create a contagious energy,” per organizers.

Underground Atlanta—specifically 50 Upper Alabama St.—will serve as the starting point Tuesday for Argentina’s march to the noon match against Egypt. 

The festival is scheduled to kick off at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and the fan walk starts at 9 a.m. 

At noon Tuesday, Underground Atlanta plans to show the match on its large outdoor screens, followed by live music from Los Palmeras and UN POCO DE RUIDO. Over the course of both days, South American food will be served at Underground while soccer continues on the district’s new, temporary futsal pitch.

Billed as “Atlanta’s oldest entertainment district” and more recently a defunct urban mall, Underground’s steady, ongoing transformation since the COVID-19 pandemic has included the additions of MJQ Concourse nightclub, Underground Diner, Utopia Restaurant and Lounge, Artist Row, Daiquiriville, and additional rooms at The Masquerade music venue, among other businesses. According to Lalani Ventures, the district has brought in more than 1.5 million visitors over the past year. 

Prior to FIFA World Cup festivities, the Invest Atlanta Board in April approved a $925,000 grant that’s been channeled toward public infrastructure and small-business improvements at Underground’s Upper Alabama Street and the Peachtree Fountains Plaza section. Another portion of the grant supported Underground Diner’s restaurant buildout. 

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