One Million Strong! FIFA Volunteer Programme passes landmark

• Revamped FIFA Volunteer Programme was launched in December 2020

• Fans get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see behind the scenes at FIFA tournaments

• Gianni Infantino meets one millionth FIFA World Cup™ Volunteer

The FIFA Volunteer Programme has passed another milestone, with more than one million now having joined the community since it was launched in December 2020. The number reflects the importance of volunteers in delivering FIFA tournaments where they perform a variety of crucial roles which include greeting legends, finding seats for fans, carrying flags, supporting the media and preparing accreditation passes.

Volunteering offers the chance to go behind the scenes at FIFA tournaments and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many football fans. Volunteers have contributed over two million hours to FIFA’s tournaments and events, helping create an incredible atmosphere and showcase the local cultures of the host countries.

So far, the FIFA Volunteer Programme has been activated at 21 tournaments and events including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, where 20,000 volunteers supported the competition after being selected from a record 420,000 applications, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.

“Volunteers are the heart and soul and also the face – and the smile – of FIFA tournaments,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Their passion, their smiles, their energy and positivity play an essential role in the success of every FIFA tournament, contributing to the unique and unforgettable atmosphere in the host countries. Put simply, we would not be able to organise our tournaments without them.”

The FIFA President met with Atlanta resident Craig Collins, who is the one millionth FIFA World Cup™ volunteer.

Craig was a volunteer through his company’s employee engagement programme when the U.S. hosted the FIFA World Cup™ in 1994.

Craig has also joined the programme for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ and is based in Atlanta, one of the 11 cities that will host matches in the groundbreaking 32-team contest, which will be played in the United States from 14 June to 13 July.

Fans aged 18 and over can register on the FIFA Volunteer Platform to receive the latest news and updates about volunteering at upcoming FIFA events. Fans and members of the public interested in volunteering at FIFA tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup™, will also be able to apply to become a FIFA Volunteer via the platform.

“Volunteering at a FIFA tournament is a hugely rewarding experience which is guaranteed to provide memories that will last for a lifetime. It’s a completely different way to experience football,” said Anne-Catherine Ienne, Team Lead Volunteer Management at FIFA.

“The FIFA Volunteer Programme is the largest of its kind in sport and we have an incredibly diverse community, drawn from a huge variety of nationalities and backgrounds. With the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup on the horizon, followed by the biggest FIFA World Cup in history in 2026, we want to encourage even more people to join and take advantage of this incredible opportunity.”

Applications are currently open for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, to be played from 14 June to 13 July in the United States and where 9,000 volunteers will be needed, and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025 in Seychelles.