67 000 applications received for 2010 FIFA World Cup volunteer programme

By Khanyisa Tabata
02 September 2009

A total of 67 999 people from more than 170 have applied to become volunteers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

An average of 1 600 applications were received during the period from 20 July to the 31 of August 2009

Applications were received for the World Cup, Final Draw in Cape Town taking on 4 December 2009 and the Football for Hope Festival in Alexandra which will run concurrently with World Cup next year.

Nigeria is the leading country outside South Africa with the number of application with 750 in total. The United States follows with 554 applications and Brazil was close behind with 489. Zimbabweans registered 449 applications while Italy managed an impressive total of 414.

Johannesburg came in with the most applications, receiving a total of 16 280 applications for Soccer City and Ellis Park.

Pretoria received 8 496 applications followed by the Nelson Mandela Bay with 7 365, Cape Town with 5 998 received volunteer applications Nelspruit and Rustenburg came in close behind as they have received 5 781 and 5 558 respectively.

Durban received 5 148 volunteer applications with Polokwane receiving the total of 5 503 and Mangaung/Bloemfontein has also has a good response of 4 371 applications.

The LOC said that most volunteers had applied to provide administrative support for the tournament, as well as hospitality and ushering services, Fan Park services and information technology and telecommunications.

In order to assist with hearing-impaired spectators, 83 volunteer hopefuls have applied to work in sign language support.

The next step is for the applications to be screened. The interview process then begins in December. Overseas volunteers will be interviewed by teleconference while host city interviews will be conducted simultaneously at venues in each city.