Champions League final events in Atlanta

Saturday’s European Champions League final is always a terrific appetizer in a World Cup year, and a couple of viewing parties in Atlanta are going beyond the usual.

Soccer in the Streets is sending four metro Atlanta youngsters to South Africa, host nation for the World Cup, and also where the FIFA Football for Hope Festival is taking place.

SITS is holding a fundraiser/ECL viewing party at Diesel Atlanta, 870 N. Highland Ave., from 1-6 p.m. Proceeds from drink specials will go toward travel expenses.

The Bayern Munich-Inter Milan game is also the centerpiece for the first Atlanta Soccer Artfest to be held at the Blue Tower Gallery, 675 Metropolitan Ave. That event runs from 2-11 p.m.

Kickoff from the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid is 2:30 p.m. and is on the Fox broadcast network, the first time it has shown soccer. Martin Tyler, legendary British announcer who will calling the World Cup for ESPN, will have the play-by-play via the Sky Sports simulcast.

Gabrielle Marcotti has the definitive game preview.