Atlanta Singles Finding Romance With FIFA World Cup Visitors, Survey Finds

This summer, the FIFA World Cup brought thousands of soccer fans from around the world to cities across the United States. In Atlanta, Georgia, something unexpected has also been happening — single residents are meeting and dating some of those visitors. A new survey shows that nearly half of Atlanta's singles have gone on dates or gotten romantically involved with someone visiting for the tournament.

According to the dating website Datingadvice.com, Atlanta ranks number two among World Cup host cities for romance. The site surveyed local singles and found that 46% of them had gone on dates or been romantically involved with a tournament visitor. That makes Atlanta one of the most love-filled spots in the entire competition.

Dating apps have also seen big jumps in activity since the World Cup began. Tinder reported a 47% increase in activity from international users in host cities. Domestic users — meaning people already living in those cities — were 22% more active on the app as well.

Another popular dating app, Bumble, noticed that people were more interested in attending group events together. The app hosted watch parties for singles, and those events drew large crowds. It seems that cheering for a team is a great way to meet someone new.

Lexi Young, who runs a matchmaking business called In The Wild Dating, says her followers have been eager for chances to meet people face-to-face. She believes the World Cup gave people the perfect opportunity to do just that. 'I think it really has shown that people want an in-person connection, and sports are such a bonding concept,' she said. 'With sporting events, people have a shared interest in something. It obviously helps them connect on a deeper level.'

Young also noticed that the event helped people open up and learn about other cultures. She said people were 'coming out of their shell' — meaning they were becoming more outgoing. She added that mixing with fans from different countries has been great for Atlanta's social scene.

One Atlanta resident named Katie Friedman has taken her love of the World Cup on the road. She visited four host cities this summer — Atlanta, Seattle, Boston, and New York. 'I feel like it's been really fun hearing about people experiencing America for the first time,' she said. 'It's a great conversation starter: what have they seen, what are they liking.'

Another Atlanta local, Rashad, summed up the fun atmosphere in simple terms. 'This is a good atmosphere. They got drinks, they got food, they got music, you don't got to pay for nothing, it's a win,' he said. For many Atlantans, the World Cup has turned out to be about much more than soccer.