Atlanta and Emory embrace World Cup spirit

Rachel Carr, a goalkeeper on the Emory women’s soccer team, says something special is in the air this summer. And there’s no mystery about its source.

Atlanta is one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026, including eight matches at Atlanta Stadium (known as Mercedes-Benz Stadium outside of the tournament) — home to Atlanta United FC and the Atlanta Falcons.

People from all corners of the Emory community have participated in the excitement surrounding the World Cup’s first few weeks, both on and off campus.

In the Atwood Chemistry Center, the Emory chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers gathered to watch the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11. With the tournament entering its knockout stage, the International Student and Scholar Services office will host World Cup viewing parties at Harland Cinema in the Alumni Memorial University Center.

The women’s soccer players, as members of one of Emory’s highest achieving athletic programs, have especially embraced the festivities around town celebrating the World Cup, which ends July 19.

Last fall, in a historic 2025 season, the Emory women’s team finished as the Division III national runner-up, while the men’s team reached the national semifinals. The year before, the women’s team made the national semifinals as well. Which is to say: These players know good soccer when they see it.

Carr, who is from Salem, New Hampshire, enjoys the international buzz the World Cup brings to metro Atlanta, including Decatur — which set up an outdoor public viewing space for the matches in its town square.

She and five of her teammates gathered in Decatur to see the United States defeat Australia, 2-0. On any given night, the square is filled with people waving different flags and speaking different languages.

“We could celebrate the thing that brought us all together as teammates in the first place — which is soccer,” says Carr, a rising senior majoring in neuroscience and behavioral biology. “We love playing soccer together, we love watching soccer together, and so we just wanted to get out into the community.”

She describes the environment of the square as “jam-packed” and “electric.”

“I’m from a really small town, and I wasn’t used to a city as big as Atlanta,” Carr says. “But at the same time, I was so excited to experience it. There are people from so many different countries and all around the world here, and it’s like a melting pot of people coming together to enjoy what the city has to offer.”

Carr and a teammate also attended the Uzbekistan vs. Democratic Republic of Congo match at Atlanta Stadium, where she enjoyed seeing fans from both countries trading flags and pictures after the game.

“It was a great reminder that, despite cheering for different teams, soccer has an amazing way of bringing people together,” Carr says.

“In a world of social fragmentation and isolation, sports fandom is one of the few places fans today can go to find connection, community, belonging and a sense that they are part of something bigger than themselves — something that matters,” says Erin Tarver, a philosophy professor who researches sports fandom at Emory’s Oxford College, where she is also interim senior associate dean for academic affairs.

“While traditional community rituals like those associated with the church have receded in importance in recent years — and even popular culture is broken up by algorithms — sports fandom grows in importance as a stable, reliable marker of identity and community for human beings who desperately need it,” Tarver adds.

Sue Patberg, coach of the Emory women’s soccer team, says it’s common for her players to stay in Atlanta over the summer to pursue academic or professional opportunities. Carr, for example, has an internship at a local therapy-based summer camp for children with anxiety disorders.

“Our players are super academically driven,” says Patberg, who has coached the team for more than 20 years. “They want to focus on summer internships or research, but they also absolutely love soccer. It’s their passion, and they’re trying to keep their two passions alive.”

Patberg is also following the games, often watching with her two sons, who she says are huge soccer fans.

“How can you not be excited?” Patberg asks. “It’s everywhere: It’s on the news, it’s on Instagram, it’s on TikTok, it’s on restaurant TVs. It’s a huge momentum builder for our team heading into the fall.”

The World Cup presents both learning and bonding opportunities for the Emory players. “Obviously, there’s a technical side that’s awesome for them to observe in the matches,” Patberg says, “but it’s also great to see our players off the field together. Being from different parts of the country and different ages, it’s so important they can bond over this.”

Carr says the friendships she has formed on the team have been a defining feature of her time at Emory.

“As soon as I got to campus, my teammates were the first people I met,” Carr explains. “I’m so grateful for that. They’ve turned into my best friends, and I know these friendships will last a lifetime.”

That level of camaraderie translates to success on the field, says Patberg. She is already preparing for next season, mulling over new strategies and thinking of ways to motivate the team.

“I feel so grateful and fortunate to have a team of players that are as invested in their college sports experience as they are in their academic experience,” Patberg says. “At a school like Emory, that’s saying a lot. Every day, we’re lucky to walk on the field with this group of incredible student athletes.”

“The World Cup is bringing people together,” Carr says. “That’s what soccer can do. I hope we can bring that excitement to Emory next season and pack the stands for our games, as well as the games of the men’s team.”