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On the Monday morning before the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the opening of the Philly’s fan festival site for the tournament, a group gathered under a large tent by Philly’s Abraham Lincoln Memorial, just off of Kelly Drive.
Many in the group wore blue Adidas track suits with neon green shirts, a uniform that will become very prevalent around the city for the next 39 days and a beacon of aid for soccer fans who’ve lost their way.
These are members of the FIFA volunteer program, part of the tournament’s team of nearly 50,000 of unpaid helpers who will be helping the biggest edition of soccer’s global tournament happen across three nations and 16 host cities.
“It’s like a dream come true, like a check off my bucket list,” Ambler resident Jacqueline Ng, originally from Singapore, said.
Over the course of an hour, organizers took them through the park space, which was still being constructed for Thursday’s opening. Stopping at the vendor village, the festival entrance, the check-in station and finally inside the park, they were briefed on what was around them and what their tasks would entail.
“Seeing actually how big it is and then, once all the setup is out of the way, it’ll be exciting to see this filled and for Philly to embrace soccer,” said East Falls resident Kevin Turner.
The volunteer’s tasks will include checking fans and media in, pointing them to where they need to go and language translation where possible (several raised their hands when the group was asked who spoke a second language). Host committee Philly Soccer 2026’s volunteer lead Alison Grove said that part of their training would included “general Philadelphia training.”
“Even if you’re from here you need to remember that not everybody speaks Philadelphia,” she explained. “So we’ve been making sure that people do understand how to explain what a Phlash bus is. Don’t take the Schuylkill or you’ll wind up in the river. They may not know what a Wawa is … Remember, the Linc is not going to be called the Linc. It’s going to be called ‘Philadelphia Stadium.’ ”
They were also thanked repeatedly for committing to help at what will be the only continuously open FIFA fan festival site in the country.
Whatever your thoughts are on the ethics of a non-profit sports organization that’s projected to make almost $9 billion this year using volunteer labor, and has also recently been subpoenaed by two state attorneys general over its ticket practices, FIFA says one million people applied for the roles.
Some, like Marcel Bedoya from the Lehigh Valley, are in for lengthy commute times this month.
“It’s about an hour, an hour and a half driving,” Bedoya, originally from Colombia, said. “It’s not really that bad and it’s the World Cup, so I don’t mind at all.”
Frederick Karanja, originally from Kenya, will be coming back and forth from New Castle, Delaware. The thought of repeatedly making that trip to help people find the beer tent or the gift shop didn’t stop him from jumping on the application right away.
“I mean it’s a once in a lifetime event,” he said. “The World Cup is finally so close to me. There was no reason not to try and to be part of it.”
About 3,000 FIFA volunteers will be spread out around the city. The heaviest concentrations will be at the stadium, and at the Lemon Hill fan fest, along with the “last mile” routes leading to both of those. They will also be at city destinations such as City Hall, historic sites and transit stops including 30th Street Station. FIFA’s volunteers will be working alongside members of the Visitor Center’s Phambassadors, ambassadors with SEPTA and Philadelphia International Airport.
“We really kind of looked at it as where is the best fit for the volunteer and for our guests,” said Bassam Awadalla, the Senior Advisor of the Volunteer Program and Business Initiatives for Philadelphia Soccer 2026
Philly’s volunteer center opened last October in the Fashion District mall, and will serve as a central hub. It was used to interview and then train prospective volunteers, and in April it became a runway for the unveiling of the 10 pieces of brightly colored uniform the group will be wearing while on duty.
Francisville resident Jessica Malone will be volunteering down at the stadium, where she was previously posted during last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. An avid soccer fan since the 1998 World Cup in France, she said that part of her decision to move back to the east coast from Denver five years ago was to be a part of the 2026 World Cup.
She had such a great experience last year that she convinced her mother, who lives in Mercersburg, Franklin County, to apply to volunteer for this year’s tournament.
“It’ll be so special to share it, even if we weren’t placed in the same functional area, just for her to get to do this and be a part of this community. Get to know Philadelphia, to be behind the scenes of the stadium,” Malone said.
When asked if there was a number of applicants unhappy they weren’t assigned to the stadiums, Grove said that volunteers could list their top three choices. She was surprised how naturally those fell in line with the needs of the host committee.
“I hope everybody’s happy. I think they are,” she said “We haven’t heard too many complaints and we had a waiting list, and I don’t think we’re going to use it.”
Besides the exclusive new clothes and the chance to say you’re working while watching soccer, the perks that the volunteers get will be free transportation on the Phlash bus, a small gift after each completed shift and three hours in the festival site just for them on July 9.
Plus when they’re not on shift they get to change out of their uniforms and enjoy the soccer festivities as patrons.
“I’m hoping that I can be able to bring my family in, either before or after my shift or some of the off days that I’m not working on the fan fest,” Karanja said.
