From 18 to 92: The World Cup’s warmest crowd is welcoming the world from outside the pitch

The moment the cameras lock onto a star taking a shot, few people notice those figures along the sidelines in their bright uniforms, smiles on their faces. But one of the truly most moving stories of the 2026 World Cup actually unfolds off the green field — this tournament has assembled the largest and most diverse volunteer army in FIFA history.

According to the official announcement from FIFA, this edition of the World Cup recruited around 65,000 volunteers across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, spread across 23 functional areas including stadiums, training sites, airports and hotels. Even more astonishing was the enthusiasm of the response: more than one million people from 226 countries and territories around the world submitted applications, just to play a part in this football celebration.

Among this group, the youngest had only just turned 18 and the oldest was 92 years old — there were students who had just stepped into society, and there were elders who turned a lifetime of experience into a smile. About 60 percent of the volunteers were between 18 and 29 years old, with the younger generation becoming the main force. FIFA President Gianni Infantino described it as “the most diverse volunteer community in the world.”

For Canadian fans, this roster carries a special sense of warmth. As one of the hosts, Canada saw not only its team stir up excitement at BC Place and in Toronto, but also its volunteer applicants rank among the top six in the world. From Vancouver to Toronto, these local residents with accreditation badges pinned to their chests are often the first smiling faces that travellers from far away meet upon arrival: pointing you in the right direction, cheering you on, and with a single greeting giving an unfamiliar city instant warmth.

On the pitch the contest is about winning and losing; on the sidelines the contest is about human kindness. As June’s World Cup heats up in Canada, amid the cheering don’t forget to say a word of thanks to those volunteers serving quietly — they are the ones who make the phrase “the whole world coming together” come true.

Source: FIFA official media release “FIFA World Cup 26™ volunteer programme | Applications now open,” August 11, 2025, https://inside.fifa.com/media-releases/applications-now-open-world-cup-26-volunteer-programme