Popularity around Premier League football has grown considerably in the United States in recent years. As it has become easier to watch matches regularly on tv, more Americans are starting to find out why football is the most popular sport in the world and how it has become the heartbeat of so many different cultures.
The Brewhouse Cafe in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of the Atlanta Gooners fan club is where you can perhaps best see this sudden surge.
Jeanne Francis, one of the original members of the fan club, who is originally from the UK, spoke about their recent growth and how she and other expatriates have played a part in Americans becoming more invested in the Premier League and more specifically Arsenal.
She said, “We have a lot of expats here and we rubbed off on a lot of our locals. Atlanta is the bloody town and don’t let anyone tell you differently and I’m so glad that Atlanta United has finally really brought that to the forefront.”
Atlanta had never been a hot spot for football lovers in the US, but after the arrival of MLS side Atlanta United in 2017, it was hard to miss the swift change in sentiment.
Since its inaugural season, the team has averaged more annual spectators than anyone else in the league according to Transfermarkt. In this past season, there was an average attendance of nearly 50,000 despite having a disappointing season performance wise.
Atlanta has also had the opportunity to host various significant international matches including two for the Copa America group stages last summer. Additionally, For the 2026 World Cup, Atlanta will host seven matches in total including a Semi Final game which will be a massive moment for Atlanta and its relationship with the sport of football.
Francis discussed the Atlanta Gooners impact on the Atlanta United fan base saying that “They talk about the Atlanta United supporters’ groups and how passionate and amazing they are and it’s because they learned from Premier League supporters’ groups. You can see the direct impact of the supporters’ groups on the Atlanta United supporters’ groups. They are all the same people.”
Doug Goodwin, one of two original founders of the Atlanta Gooners spoke directly with the Arsenal media team.
He said, “Our crowd of Gooners is usually more than 50 for weekend matchdays.” This is an amazing feat considering this is a team that is based in an entirely different country.
Goodwin also shared that “The most telling sign of our numbers was when the local Spurs supporters group fled to another bar on the other side of town!”.
This could suggest that the football culture that exists in the UK is slowly starting to integrate itself within American supporters.
When asked what brings members of the fan club together, Francis jokingly said, “I really think that it’s honest to God, spite if there is one thing we all have in common because we are very diverse. We have all these very diverse backgrounds, expats and Americans. Atlantans, non-Atlantans.”
She added, “The one thing we all have in common is we hate Mike Dean, we hate Tottenham, we hate Jose Mourinho, we hate the pay to play, and we hate how calls are made (refereeing decisions).”
Arsenal is a club that is known for its diverse fan base. This is evident from the moment you set eyes on the Emirates Stadium. Between a mural on the outer walls of the stadium and the banners that hang around the pitch, every fan club is represented from around the world.
Everyone is made to feel welcome no matter what culture you come from, a theme that has been extended in Atlanta thanks to people like Francis and Goodwin who have shared this message.
Francis continued to speak about how they are all brought together while referring to the traditions at Arsenal.
She said, “We love to see the game played well and see it played the right way and that’s the Arsenal way. It really is about the game itself and about the play, which really is that common denominator because there are all different walks of life, all different ages, different backgrounds, different jobs. The one thing we have in common is we love to watch those boys play and win.”
There is a real feeling for the love of the game around the Brewhouse Cafe which has extended more and more each year to the rest of the city. Goodwin noted in his communication with the Arsenal media team that he’s now starting to see Arsenal kits being worn around the Atlanta metro area more regularly.
Perhaps another contributor to this is the trailer parked outside the cafe owned by Rare and Retro Soccer, a shop which sells used football kits.
The Atlanta gooners, in addition to organizing watch parties, also works as a charitable organization. When asked about her favorite moment as a member of the club, Francis said that their work with Soccer in the Streets was among the highlights.
Working with a local school with a high number of refugee students, they helped to raise over 2,000 US dollars to start the school’s first ever football program. She said their mission was primarily to give kids “a sense of home and normalcy.”
This aligns with the themes of the Atlanta Gooners and the many expatriates who started the club in the first place and wanted to feel that same sense of home themselves at the Brewhouse Cafe.
Goodwin left one simple message for future members saying, “If you’re in Atlanta and you back the Arsenal, you are already one of us! Whether you grew up in the terraces of hallowed Highbury, were won over by the Invincibles or just chosen AFC as the team of your life, all are welcome in Atlanta. Except for Tottenham fans.” The Atlanta Gooners Fan Club exemplifies the growing popularity of Premier League football in the US while representing the values of Arsenal’s culture.
