Nearly 3,500 Kansas City FIFA World Cup volunteers are ready to welcome the world to America’s heartland next week. At Saturday’s training, KC 2026 leaders encouraged volunteers to bring snacks for their shifts, to arrive early, and to look for extra available shifts every night and morning. Leaders explained volunteers can’t wear Meta glasses, but are allowed any other sunglasses. They specified volunteers can’t help more than four shifts in a week and can’t assist back-to-back, two shifts in a day. You’ll spot them by their lime green shirts, but one, by his small green friend, Baby Yoda.”He goes everywhere with me, and he wanted to be a part of this, too,” Jarred Vega, one Topeka volunteer said. Vega was diagnosed with autism when he was five. He and his mom are helping out with the World Cup tournament together.”I was impressed that they (FIFA) put out a request for people with special needs and disabilities,” Mimi Leonard, Vega’s mom said. “Inclusion is important.”Mimi is excited to be involved too. “I can’t wait to get back here and meet people and just show them, Midwesterners, we’ve got it, we’re helpful,” she said. “You hear things about the U.S. We can’t help that, but by gosh, in our corner of the world, we can show you how good we are.â€She said she’s excited to see her son in his own element, doing his thing and helping people. “I want to make sure that Jared gets the time of his life. I want him to come away knowing that he was a worthy part of a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that he did his job and he did it well,” Leonard said. “Come to FanFest. Come find us, come see us, come meet Baby Yoda. Come on.†Vega is a huge soccer fan. He’s taking his volunteer role seriously.”I’ve kind of been studying the app,” he said. “I’m trying to get to know it, because that’s part of my job, is to be able to guide people.”He is most excited to meet new friends.”Talking to people from all around the world and hearing the stories and being passionate, and we’re all here because we love soccer. It’s the World Cup, so it’s an exciting time for the city,” Vega said. “Really excited, because I’ve been waiting and waiting, and it’s almost here. I get to experience the World Cup behind the scenes.†Saturday’s training was thorough. “It’s a lot of information, but I think once it starts, it’s not going to be as confusing, and everybody’s going to — it’s going to fly by, and everybody’s going to be having fun,” Vega said. KC 2026 said each volunteer is required to work at least eight shifts.
Nearly 3,500 Kansas City FIFA World Cup volunteers are ready to welcome the world to America’s heartland next week.
At Saturday’s training, KC 2026 leaders encouraged volunteers to bring snacks for their shifts, to arrive early, and to look for extra available shifts every night and morning.
Leaders explained volunteers can’t wear Meta glasses, but are allowed any other sunglasses.
They specified volunteers can’t help more than four shifts in a week and can’t assist back-to-back, two shifts in a day.
You’ll spot them by their lime green shirts, but one, by his small green friend, Baby Yoda.
“He goes everywhere with me, and he wanted to be a part of this, too,” Jarred Vega, one Topeka volunteer said.
Vega was diagnosed with autism when he was five. He and his mom are helping out with the World Cup tournament together.
“I was impressed that they (FIFA) put out a request for people with special needs and disabilities,” Mimi Leonard, Vega’s mom said. “Inclusion is important.”
Mimi is excited to be involved too.
“I can’t wait to get back here and meet people and just show them, Midwesterners, we’ve got it, we’re helpful,” she said. “You hear things about the U.S. We can’t help that, but by gosh, in our corner of the world, we can show you how good we are.â€
She said she’s excited to see her son in his own element, doing his thing and helping people.
“I want to make sure that Jared gets the time of his life. I want him to come away knowing that he was a worthy part of a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that he did his job and he did it well,” Leonard said. “Come to FanFest. Come find us, come see us, come meet Baby Yoda. Come on.â€
Vega is a huge soccer fan. He’s taking his volunteer role seriously.
“I’ve kind of been studying the app,” he said. “I’m trying to get to know it, because that’s part of my job, is to be able to guide people.”
He is most excited to meet new friends.
“Talking to people from all around the world and hearing the stories and being passionate, and we’re all here because we love soccer. It’s the World Cup, so it’s an exciting time for the city,” Vega said. “Really excited, because I’ve been waiting and waiting, and it’s almost here. I get to experience the World Cup behind the scenes.â€
Saturday’s training was thorough.
“It’s a lot of information, but I think once it starts, it’s not going to be as confusing, and everybody’s going to — it’s going to fly by, and everybody’s going to be having fun,” Vega said.
KC 2026 said each volunteer is required to work at least eight shifts.
