World Cup needs 65,000 volunteers, including 6,000 in DFW. Here’s how to apply
The World Cup is coming to Dallas-Fort Worth next year, and FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, will soon open up applications for volunteers to help make the massive sporting event run smoothly.
Officials estimate that 65,000 volunteers will be needed across all 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with more than 6,000 needed in DFW.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington will host nine matches in the 48-team international soccer tournament, starting with a group-stage match June 14 and ending with a semifinal July 14.
Nina Vaca, CEO and chairman of Pinnacle Group, and co-chair of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee, explained the timeline, benefits, requirements and tips for those interested in applying to be a volunteer.
Vaca said the first thing people should do is create a profile now, rather than wait until the day that applications open online.
“The registration starts Aug. 11. But what I want to make sure people know is that you don’t have to wait till Aug. 11 to go on to the volunteer.fifa.com website,” she said. “You can go today, right now, and create a community account, and then create an interest form..”
Volunteers must be at least 18 at the time of the application, Vaca said. They must agree to an in-person interview at Fair Park in Dallas and commit to nine shifts of six to eight hours each if they are selected, she said. They must also pass a background check.
Volunteers will work in a variety of roles, Vaca said, including “guest services, media ops, hospitality, fan operations, the games, transportation hubs, fan festivals, airports, hotels and, of course, the [international broadcast center]..”
“If you speak additional languages, it’s a plus,” Vaca said. “So English is the official language of FIFA. If you’re bilingual, trilingual, that is an absolute plus.”
Interviews will happen in November and December, positions will be offered in January and February, then training will start in April, she said.
“And then the exciting part happens in May, because in May and June, you get your uniform and your accreditation,” Vaca said.
The uniforms are considered one of the best perks of getting to volunteer for the World Cup, she said.
“The one benefit that everybody talks about, and the reason why the FIFA volunteer program is a coveted role, you’re an ambassador to the North Texas region, but you’re also receiving the official FIFA World Cup uniform package by Adidas,” she said. “It includes the shoes, the hat, the shirt, the backpack; those official uniforms are coveted, and they are earned. So that is one of the biggest perks.
“The other is just getting to meet people all around the world.”
Vaca noted that her co-chair on the committee, Dan Hunt, whose family owns the Kansas City Chiefs, was a World Cup volunteer in 1994.
