FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The end of June is a quiet part of the NFL calendar, but this year the World Cup has kept the football fervor going in Atlanta.

Atlanta is one of 16 stadiums around North America hosting matches for the World Cup, and the start of the global event on June 11 has suffused the city with a palpable energy. More fans attended the FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta than in any other host city during the first 10 days of matches, with nearly 275,000 people showing up to soak in the atmosphere.

"Excited for our stadium, excited for our city to be hosts here," Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "I know Josh Blank has done a ton of work with the World Cup coming. I know our city is excited about it, and our city's ready for it and be able to put a beautiful game on display."

Consistent with its reputation since opening in 2017, Atlanta's stadium has received glowing reviews as a host location and earned the No. 1 spot in a recent ranking by The Athletic. Four matches have been played thus far, and the final group-stage contest, held in Atlanta, will take place on June 27. Following the group stage, Atlanta will host a Round of 32 match on July 1, a Round of 16 match on July 7 and a semi-final match on July 15.

Atlanta's group stage matches featured arguably the most exciting young player in the entire sport of soccer, Lamine Yamal. The Spaniard became only the second player 18 years old or younger to score the first goal in a World Cup match when he opened his team's scoring in a 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia. He joins Brazil legend Pelé with that distinction.

"I know the young buck, Lamine Yamal. I know he's really really good," Falcons wide receiver Drake London said. "My girl actually got to see him play I think two days ago or something, which was really really cool. She didn't have a clue who he was, but I was freaking out over the phone, telling her to stay there and make sure that she watches greatness."

With the Falcons set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, during the 2026 season, there's a natural synergy between Yamal's home country and his team's host city.

Spain's 18-year-old phenom is currently electrifying soccer fans in Atlanta, and the hope is that the Falcons' own talented young stars will do the same for football fans in Madrid this fall. Included in that group are London, who recently signed an extension, tight end Kyle Pitts, who has reportedly agreed to a new deal, and running back Bijan Robinson, who led the NFL in scrimmage yards last season.

Robinson is perhaps the closest counterpart to Yamal, given the singularity of their play style and the overflowing interest they generate in their sport.

"He's such an amazing player, especially for how young he is," Robinson said. "For us to get to witness another talent like that, that's a young phenom, I think it's great for the United States, and it's pretty cool that he's playing here in Atlanta."

But for as famous as players like Pitts, London and Robinson are, they are quick to point out that the attention they receive pales in comparison at times to the biggest stars of the beautiful game.

"You just saw a goalie that had, what, 50,000 followers. And he had a great game, it was tied 0-0, but he had a great game. Now he's got like 13 million followers," Robinson said. "The sport of soccer is so worldwide, everybody watches around the whole world."

Robinson will be closely watching some other individuals participating in the World Cup, too. His success on the gridiron has allowed him to connect with some of the top players in a variety of sports, including 25-year-old Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior, who has scored four goals through his team's first three matches.

Vinícius, who is commonly referred to as Vini Jr. and sports the same No. 7 as Robinson, has been dominant for Brazil. He and Robinson first connected through their jeweler three years ago when Brazil was in the United States playing a series of international friendlies. Since then, they've remained in touch and followed one another's success on the field.

"We always text each other after games," Robinson said. "He watches all the games, all our games. Last year he was just like sending me the highlights from the game. It's cool to hang out with him, to talk to him. He's such a great dude, he's a really really good person. And I know what he does on the field, and what I do on the field, a lot of similarities, so we're both fans of each other. It's been a great relationship, man. I'm excited to see what he can do in the World Cup."

Robinson said the two often spend much of their conversations joking around and laughing about whatever they've got going on in the moment. However, he also pays particular attention to how his other football friends deal with their immense popularity. Few can understand the level of attention superstar athletes receive, and it's rare for Robinson not to be the primary draw in a room, so he enjoys watching how others handle the spotlight.

That light will be brighter than ever during the next few weeks as the World Cup continues to deliver one exciting moment after another. During this dark period of the NFL calendar, Falcons players and coaches are enjoying the rare opportunity to soak in the excitement provided by the other form of football.

"I'm going to go watch them play," Robinson said. "And I'm going to go talk with them and see where their heads are at during this time. I want to see what they're thinking when the whole world is watching them."