A little-known Georgia state law means World Cup fans attending Atlanta’s official FIFA Fan Fest are allowed to bring their handguns – much to the shock of visiting supporters.
Atlanta has been one of the main host cities of the 2026 tournament, and will today host England vs Argentina in a hugely-anticipated semi-final showdown.
But it can now be revealed that the official Downtown Atlanta fan zone has quietly been allowing guests to bring in their handguns for the entirety of the tournament.
As first reported by 11A Live, state law requires that events being held on public property – even when hosted by a private entity like FIFA – require organizers to allow visitors to exercise their right to carry a gun.
In a statement, Georgia World Congress Center – the organizer of the event in Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta – said: ‘All security measures implemented for the FIFA Fan Festival were developed and carried out in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
‘We remain committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all guests while ensuring our operations comply with Georgia law.’
Atlanta’s Fan Fest has held thousands of fans throughout the duration of the tournament
A little-known state law has been allowing supporters to bring their firearms onto the property
The little-known rule – which will come as a surprise to thousands of England fans in attendance on Wednesday – was previously explained by John Monroe, an attorney for gun rights group GA2A in Georgia.
He said: ‘The public policy here in Georgia is that if you want to have an event where you ban guns you have to do it on private property. Public property is off the table.’
It is unclear exactly how many guns have been allowed on site, but officers on site told 11A Live that while they have encouraged fans to return their guns to their cars, some have exercised their right to carry the firearms onto the property.
There have been wild scenes inside the fan zone throughout the tournament, with fans from various countries gathering in large groups to watch – and celebrate – their team’s success.
There is expected to be many fans of both England and Argentina that have to settle for watching the game on the Fan Fest’s big screen, in the absence of them managing to secure a seat inside the stadium.
Argentina fans gather in downtown Atlanta before their semi-final against old rivals England
A Lionel Messi flag is waved above the crowds as Argentina fans prepare for the big game
On FIFA’s official website for the Fan Fest, the policy details that fans can bring transparent bags through security, but does not mention anything regarding firearms.
England’s game against Argentina, meanwhile, has been identified as the most high-risk of the tournament so far, given the political history and ‘intense rivalry’ between the two countries.
The Times reported on Tuesday that a meeting between FIFA, the Atlanta police department and the FBI rated the match the highest of any taking place at the tournament.
A number of additional security measures have been implemented, including separate entrances to the stadium for each set of fans, and dedicated England and Argentina bars in the downtown area of the city to minimize any potential clashes.
