Soccer supporters from near and far gather in Atlanta to experience the World Cup

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ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the most passionate soccer fans at the Czech Republic-South Africa match didn't really care who won.

This wasn't a battle between favorites to win the World Cup. There were no megastars to fawn over. Some in the crowd of 67,442 were there, well, just because it's the World Cup.

Rami Abdoch and the Abdurhman brothers sat in section 338 and erupted at every flashy play, shouted at all the controversial calls, and participated in every stadium-wide wave while booing among the masses at both hydration breaks.

The three men wore jerseys from Argentina, Spain and South Africa while proudly detailing their multilingual backgrounds and international travel. They said the World Cup perfectly captures the beauty they've experienced around the world.

“We love all of the teams, and we want to see a great, great match. The experience — all the energy, the diversity, and the love for one game is unmatched, it's unique and legendary," Abdoch said. "We all speak multiple languages. We’ve traveled, all of us, to 10, 15, 20 different countries ... the World Cup encapsulates that experience."

Two-thirds of the trio drove in from Memphis, Tennessee. Across the stadium, Jonathan Arango, 33, had just embarked on a similar road trip from South Carolina. Another family of four came in from Mississippi. The road-trippers made their presence felt among the patches of yellow and red jerseys supporting the Czech Republic and South Africa.

For people in the region, Atlanta is the closest and most feasible World Cup host city.

Arango traveled with his wife, daughter and father for the match. All four were Colombia fans, but to experience the World Cup, with or without their team on the field, meant fulfilling a lifelong dream.

And then there were those who traveled a bit further, like brothers Octavio and Diego Ochoa from Mexico.

The Ochoa brothers flew from Guadalajara to Boston, from Boston to Atlanta, and tomorrow, they'll head out on the penultimate leg of their journey from Atlanta to Philadelphia. Three cities and three matches later, they said it's still cheaper than going to a match in Mexico.

“In Mexico, the tickets to matches can be up to 100,000 pesos (nearly $6,000), so it's a lot less expensive here," Diego said. “We prefer to travel and see the matches.”

The Ochoa brothers spent $150 on tickets to Thursday’s match. They said to go to the World Cup is well worth every headache of navigating a new city or a long airport line.

As the match ended in a 1-1 draw, fans trickled out with smiles on their faces, eager to find their next World Cup-viewing destination.

Octavio couldn't have asked for anything better.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup