Before heading out of town to celebrate the most quintessentially American of holidays this Fourth of July, it wouldn’t hurt to gear up with a little European and global flavor.
Soccer in the Streets on Saturday, July 2, will host ATL Nations Cup, is bringing together teams representing eight countries (including to the U.S.) to celebrate its mission of using the beautiful game to teach young people life skills.
In particular, the event is to help replenish funds used to take an team of Atlanta teens to the streetfootballworld tournament in France earlier this summer, where they convened with like-minded organizations using soccer as an instrument of social change.
Watching the five-a-side Nations Cup matches is free, but $10 gets you a sampling of international beers, cheeses and wines and at Park Tavern, where participants will gather for the Beer Cheese Soccer event hosted by the French-American Chamber of Commerce to watch the Euro 2016 championships after battling it out on the field.
The tournament is based on the ATL Champions League, where Atlantans put teams together to represent their favorite European clubs.
The plan here was to give it a more global flair, with teams representing countries. That was one way to get a broader community involved in the Soccer in the Streets mission, organizers said, without forcing them to play in black-tie attire.
“In recent years, the growth of our fundraising tournaments has been through the amazing support of passionate fans in the city wanting to give back to our community,” said Soccer in the Streets events committee chairman Bill Ford. “With our new Nations Cup tournament, we are embracing the strong international representation in our city.”
Attendees won’t just witness an athletic event; it’s a cultural phenomenon that helps build bridges across the globe.
“For many, soccer is the international language,” Mr. Ford said. “Wherever you travel in the world, that simple round ball has immense power to overcome cultural and socioeconomic barriers. We are creating an event where Atlanta’s international community can demonstrate the power of the beautiful game to bring nations together for a powerful cause.”
Players raised a minimum of $100 to participate. Eight five-person coed teams have fielded, representing Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.
Learn more here or buy Beer, Cheese, Soccer Tickets.
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