Interested in being a part of one of the greatest sporting moments on the planet? Now’s your chance. The FIFA World Cup is coming to North America next summer, and it’s looking for 65,000 volunteers across the continent to help make it all happen. This isn’t just any volunteer gig. It’s a front-row seat to soccer history, an opportunity to be at the heart of the action—or, at least, in proximity to it.
So, how do you get in on this? It all starts with the official FIFA Volunteer website. This is where you’ll find all the information you need to get started. Applications are open now through the end of the month. The first step is to fill out the online form, in which you can tell the powers that be all about your skills and why you’re the best fit. In general, FIFA seeks people who are proactive, adaptable, energetic, can roll with the punches, and—perhaps most importantly—can stay focused and on task as the world’s biggest single-sport event unfolds around them.
Then you’ll take a short assessment to see if you meet the basic requirements. That means you have to be at least 18 years old, available to work at least eight shifts between June 11 and July 19 in a specific host city, and speak English fluently. If you’re multilingual, all the better, as the application states that additional languages are a plus.
This is also when you rank your desired volunteer roles. There’s a spot for almost every skill set, from welcoming guests to navigating technology. Spectator Services volunteers are the first and last point of contact for fans, helping them find seats and ensuring a drama-free match-day experience. If you’re good with logistics, consider Access Management, where you’ll verify details and print passes for staff and players. Venue Management volunteers help keep locker rooms in order (don’t expect to have direct contact with players), direct deliveries, and generally assist on-ground staff. Additional roles include Sustainability (promoting environmental and accessibility efforts), Media Operations (supporting accredited journalists and photographers), Transport (coordinating shuttles and parking for staff, players, and fans), and Anti-Doping (helping with drug testing throughout the tournament). Of course, every role is essential to making the magic happen.
If your application catches FIFA’s eye, the next step is an invitation to Volunteer Team Tryouts, which run from October through January 2026. This is your moment to shine, showing off your personality, work ethic, and enthusiasm. They want to see that volunteers can handle anything with a smile and a helpful attitude. You’ll also connect with the management team and learn about the inner workings of the tournament.
Make it through training with flying colors, and you’re likely to receive an official volunteer offer between December and March 2026. The conditional offer will outline your role and its expectations, and upon your acceptance, you’ll undergo a background check. Say yes to the gig, pass the background check, and you’ll be packing for a mandatory pretournament training between March and June 2026.
It’s worth noting that this is an unpaid volunteer spot that requires a significant time commitment (as mentioned above, you’ll need to clock in for at least eight shifts during the games). Also, you’ll have to cover your own travel and housing (if you’re volunteering away from your home base) and other expenses outside of your shifts (no specific hourly time frame for the shifts has been provided). Depending on your assignment, don’t expect to be rubbing elbows with Messi between matches. Many volunteers won’t even be able to watch the games they work; though some hospitality and guest services roles might be stationed within view of the pitch, this shouldn’t be a motivating reason for applying since there’s no guarantee. In return for volunteering, however, you get to be an integral part of the tournament’s success, seeing it all unfold firsthand while also stocking up on your own FIFA uniform, free food and drinks while on the job, and an official certificate of participation.
At the end of the day, volunteering for the World Cup is an amazing opportunity to see how one of sport’s most powerful governing bodies operates from the inside. It’s also an awesome way to network and make connections with a global network of volunteers and employees. If you’re a soccer fan, there are far, far less interesting ways to spend a summer.
