Copa America: Argentina beats Canada in first match, but Atlanta is clear winner

THE Copa America the opening of the tournament may have opposed Argentina against Canada on the field last Thursday, but Atlanta also had a stake in the match: to showcase its continued growth as a football city and its ability to host world-class events ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Securing a competition featuring reigning world champions Argentina provided a small taste of the football fanaticism the city can expect when FIFA stages eight matches, including a semi-final, in two years.

It also showed how sport can be a springboard for recruiting international investment.

On the morning of the match, supporters crowded around the Westin Peachtree Plaza hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary Argentinian footballer Lionel Messiwho caused a sensation by not playing InterMiamiagainst Atlanta United last September.

Other fans fanned out for tailgates in downtown parking lots or for day trips to Atlanta’s sights, sightseeing around the city while waiting for the evening game. The heavily favored Argentina ended up winning 2-0.

The result dashed even the modest hopes of Canada Football President Peter Augruso.

“I hope you don’t score too many goals. But I feel deep down that we are going to get one, so if we get one, I am very happy,” Mr. Augruso said during a breakfast roundtable at the Metro Atlanta Chamber which featured a strong presence of Argentinian technology companies using AI, big data and virtual reality to improve the fan experience and help companies drive revenue and engagement.

Although Canada failed to put one on the board, it kept Messi scoreless despite a few breakaway shots deftly deflected by the goalkeeper. Maxime Crépeau.

Still, sharing the field with the Argentines was privilege enough for a Canadian crew whose main aspiration is to continue climbing from 49th and into the world’s top 25 in the years to come, Mr. Augruso said.

“For us to be among the best nations, we have to play against the best nations, and sometimes it hurts, but that’s how you develop the sport,” he said.

The global “soccer family” can be extremely competitive on the pitch, but teams often share best practices and ideas.

“People are willing to help, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t speak Spanish, if you speak Italian, or if you don’t speak French. In football, language is the game and people are willing to help.

Perhaps this is why Canada is seeing a surge in soccer among its growing foreign-born communities. Last year, Canada welcomed 500,000 new residents to a country of just over 38 million people, Augruso said.

“Immigration contributes to the growth of the game. Now our goal is to put eyes on it.

Ambassador of Argentina Gérard Wertheina prominent businessman and long-time member of the International Olympic Committee before his appointment by the new Argentine president Javier Mileialso believes that despite rivalries, sport can be used as an agent of social cohesion, provided that tempers do not boil over.

“Football is a way of bringing people together. It is much more than a game. It is a passion, and we must maintain this passion in peace,” said Mr. Werthein, sharing an anecdote about a region in Argentina overcoming school integration problems by creating a football team.

He praised the United States for the development of the game, while teams like Atlanta United ignited passionate fans and the United States, Canada and Mexico came together to host the next FIFA World Cup. Canada has two host cities: Toronto And Vancouver.

The United States, he said, should continue to invest in top players, but also ensure there is a healthy pipeline of young talent to continue its growth.

“Anything the United States takes seriously will be a success,” he said, calling it “one of the greatest countries in the world.”

Both men shared optimism about women’s football, with Augruso saying it represents an “untapped market” with “unlimited potential” in Canada and beyond. Mr. Werthein emphasized that in the Olympic context, gender equality has been a common thread.

During a question-and-answer session led by the Consul General of Argentina Alana Lomonaco Bustoa delegation of Argentine sports technology companies – a key area of ​​focus for Atlanta – shared how they are using immersive technologies to drive inclusion while driving club growth.

Guardians of the Ball CEO Federico Khaski said its platform goes “from storytelling to bringing a story to life”, allowing people to connect through their devices to stadiums around the world, and even travel back in time to watch classic matches featuring star of the heroes of yesteryear.

“The idea is to teleport people from their homes to any stadium, anywhere in the world,” he said.

Sports must keep up with the rapidly evolving digital landscape to deliver the experiences fans expect, he said. Economically, it is also essential, because many teams have millions of fans but venues can only accommodate 30,000 people at a time.

“What about the other millions? We help them feel and live the experience.

Other Argentinian companies featured include:

• Ole Media – a soccer news platform that is expanding its coverage to North America while trying to use AI and other technologies to help viewers access clips of the game as their viewing habits viewing changes.
• ScoutTech — a recruitment platform applying sophisticated statistical modeling to collect and sort football data to improve talent acquisition. With 600,000 young footballers in Argentina alone, helping scouts sort through and find hidden gems can be extremely lucrative.
• Global – a tech giant working with FIFA, F1 and to connect digital and physical experiences. “The secret sauce is to create emotion when the fan is not in the game. So we create bridges in everyday life,” said Ariel Caponewho added that he was very excited about how the lessons learned from using AI in sports will then be applied to the treatment of cancer and depression.
• Argentine junior football club — a historic team using its history as a player developer like a football legend Diego Maradona cultivating young talent that can be sold to teams around the world, thereby erasing the club’s debt and giving it a stronger financial footing. Today, the company has invested millions in its facilities and is opening academies around the world to double down on its model.
• Hello sport — A platform for fan engagement events.
• Siemens Argentina — How buying a company in Argentina helped advance innovation
• Aleph — work on an edtech platform to train the next generation of tech talents

…and much more.

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