Media Release

Fédération Internationale de Football Association

FIFA Strasse 20, P.O Box 8044 Zurich, Switzerland, +41 (0) 43 222 7777

Monday 03 September 2018, 07:03

Qatar invites volunteers to help prepare for FIFA World Cup 2022™

  • Call for volunteers to support preparations for Qatar 2022

  • Historic FIFA World Cup will be the first in the Arab world

  • More than 12,000 hopefuls registered in the first four hours

People from Qatar and across the world have been invited to register their interest in volunteering to support preparations for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the first World Cup in the Arab world.

Volunteers will contribute towards numerous Qatar 2022 milestones, including stadium launches and test events. They will support in a range of functions, including event management, hospitality, marketing, communications, audience management, security, medical services and more.

Applicants, who must be aged 16 and over, are not required to have any volunteering experience and will receive bespoke skills training in the lead-up to the tournament, which will kick off on 21 November 2022. Working as a volunteer now will give participants an advantage when applying for FIFA’s Qatar 2022 volunteer programme, which will cover various aspects of the tournament, including matchday operations.

When announcing the call-out for participants, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC)'s Secretary General, H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, said volunteers would play a pivotal role in helping Qatar deliver a unique tournament.

“We have always maintained that this tournament is one for the whole region. Now, we are excited to open registration for volunteers interested in joining us on our journey,” said Al Thawadi. “This tournament will provide a platform to showcase the true nature of the Arab world and volunteers will be essential partners in ensuring that all our preparations for 2022 help achieve this.”

Nasser Al Khater, the SC’s Assistant Secretary General for Tournament Affairs, said: “We’re working flat out to prepare for the greatest sporting spectacle on earth and now we’re opening up the opportunity for people from around the world to contribute to our preparations.

“We have an incredibly busy schedule between now and kick-off, and this presents numerous opportunities to gain new skills, meet new people and discover everything Qatar’s World Cup has to offer. We look forward to welcoming and working with all our volunteers, no matter their age, ability or where they are from.”

During Sunday’s launch event at the Four Seasons Doha, the SC unveiled the first 22 volunteers from countries across the region, including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen. And within the first four hours of the launch, more than 12,000 people signed up as volunteers via the registration platform www.seeyouin2022.qa.

The event also hosted a panel session involving SC Ambassador Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari; Faisal Al Shanfari from Oman and member of the Arab Federation for Voluntary Activities; and Mohamed Essoussi, from Tunisia, who was a volunteer during the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia.

Saadon called on people from across the region to unite in support of Qatar’s tournament. “From day one, Qatar’s leadership has said this is a tournament for the entire region,” said Saadon. “We need to show that sport is for all and that the door is open for everyone. We have colleagues from all around the region involved as volunteers – and I believe this demonstrates how football is for everyone.”

Essoussi, who spent time volunteering with FIFA’s anti-doping unit during Russia 2018, said: “There are many advantages to volunteering. It gives you the chance to meet people from all over the world. You also have the opportunity to represent your country and region. I volunteered as I wanted to give a good image of Arab youth. Now I have returned from Russia, I feel very proud at what I achieved.”

Al Shanfari added: “Volunteering has many positive impacts and offers the chance to learn important skills. I have seen people change their outlook through volunteering. This is the first time the World Cup will be held in our region, so it’s a valuable opportunity for millions of people.”

Volunteers interested in registering their interest can visit www.seeyouin2022.qa.