{"690638":{"#nid":"690638","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Awaits the World Cup ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe streets have been paved. The grass has been mowed. Projects across the city have rushed to completion in anticipation of Atlanta hosting eight World Cup matches in June and July. Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will join in the excitement, and the campus community is ready.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m excited for people from all over the world to experience how much Atlanta has embraced soccer,\u201d said Alex Duncan, senior director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/omscs.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOnline Master of Science in Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuncan, originally from Plano, Texas, began following the World Cup in 1998. He traveled to Berlin for the 2006 tournament and has enjoyed seeing the world\u2019s game come closer to home with the addition of Atlanta United, U.S. Soccer\u2019s training headquarters, and the upcoming launch of a women\u2019s professional team in the city.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven if you don\u2019t go to any games, the atmosphere and energy are palpable during the tournament, and it\u2019s one of those rare events that unites people all over the world,\u201d he said. \u201cTo have all of this happening effectively in my backyard is a dream come true.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many students, the World Cup arriving in Atlanta represents more than a sporting event. It is a chance to connect with pieces of their identity or homes outside of Atlanta, or even outside of the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESindhu Belki, an aerospace engineering student from Doha, Qatar, was in the U.S. when the World Cup was hosted in her home country. Now, she finds herself in the right place at the right time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe excitement of entering a stadium decked in the colors and gear of your favorite team, joining hundreds of people supporting some of your favorite players, seeing little kids imitate Messi or Ronaldo, watching the players walk onto the pitch amid thunderous applause, the nail-biting anticipation with every pass of the ball, and the sheer joy of clinching the winning goal in a penalty shootout \u2014 what can be more thrilling and adventurous?\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIrene Jacob, a city and regional planning student from Maryland, is also thrilled to be living in a host city. She has followed the World Cup since 2014.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat makes the World Cup especially unique is the atmosphere around it and how it brings people together from all over the world in a way that few other sporting events can,\u201d she said. \u201c2014-me would be so excited to know that 12 years later, the city I\u2019d be living in during the summer would actually be hosting the World Cup.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether you\u2019re a diehard soccer fan or simply interested in experiencing the spectacle, there will be plenty of activities on and around campus to enjoy. Georgia Tech will host \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.w1.calendar.oit.gatech.edu\/event\/2026\/06\/10\/club-and-country-colors-day-world-cup-celebration\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EClub and Country Colors Day\u003C\/a\u003E on June 10, and Georgia Tech and Georgia State University are teaming up for a watch party at Georgia State\u2019s Convocation Center on July 1 \u2013 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/calendar.gsu.edu\/event\/round-of-32-gsu-campus-watch-party\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eregister for a free ticket\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESee more campus events at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/world-cup-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Egatech.edu\/world-cup-2026\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Atlanta prepares to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will be at the center of the excitement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As Atlanta prepares to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will be at the center of the excitement. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-06-07 13:26:51","changed_gmt":"2026-06-09 13:26:34","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680424":{"id":"680424","type":"image","title":"Excitement for the World Cup","body":"\u003Cp\u003E(L-R): Sindhu Belki, Irene Jacob, and Alex Duncan show off a Georgia Tech soccer scarf.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780879734","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:48:54","changed":"1780879987","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:53:07","alt":"(L-R): Sindhu Belki, Irene Jacob, and Alex Duncan","file":{"fid":"264681","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1740801,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg?itok=hkc1_qao"}},"680427":{"id":"680427","type":"image","title":"Alex Duncan","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Duncan, senior director of OMSCS, wears a France jersey. Photo by Allison Carter.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880237","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:57:17","changed":"1780880319","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:58:39","alt":"Alex Duncan","file":{"fid":"264684","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1405321,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg?itok=KuRowBJ9"}},"680426":{"id":"680426","type":"image","title":"Irene Jacob","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIrene Jacob, a city and regional planning student, wears an Argentina jersey from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Photo by Allison Carter.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880134","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:55:34","changed":"1780880229","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:57:09","alt":"Irene Jacob","file":{"fid":"264683","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1522945,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg?itok=UYYnaQo5"}},"680425":{"id":"680425","type":"image","title":"Sindhu Belki","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESindhu Belki, an aerospace engineering student, wears a shirt from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where her father was a volunteer.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880017","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:53:37","changed":"1780880102","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:55:02","alt":"Sindhu Belki","file":{"fid":"264682","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1671653,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG?itok=GnHoX93m"}}},"media_ids":["680424","680427","680426","680425"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/world-cup-2026","title":"Georgia Tech World Cup Events"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/05\/world-cup-puts-atlanta-back-global-spotlight","title":"Generating Buzz: World Cup Puts Atlanta Back in Global Spotlight"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/12\/01\/womens-soccer-sets-sights-atlanta","title":"Women\u2019s Soccer Sets Sights on Atlanta "},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/10\/10\/atlanta-primed-become-us-soccer-capital-ahead-2026-world-cup","title":"Atlanta Primed to Become U.S. Soccer Capital Ahead of 2026 World Cup "}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.bailey@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Bailey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}