Representatives from 147 countries have expressed interest in assisting in the Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup.

On Monday (September 24), FIFA announced the final figures from the registration process for volunteers interested in participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the preliminary draws for these two competitions. The total number of candidates reached 130,919.

7,000 volunteers are expected to work during the Confederations Cup and 15,000 are expected during the 2014 World Cup.

The initial goal was to achieve 90,000 entries, and this was reached after eight days.

The final figure of 130,919 entries represents a significant record. The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany saw 48,000 entries and in 2010, this number reached 70,000 in South Africa. 97% of all those interested in volunteering want to work during the World Cup and 76% during the Confederations Cup.

“We were confident of a successful program given the passion for football that characterizes the Brazilian people, but even our most optimistic forecast didn't indicate that we'd receive more than 130,000 entries. We understand this mobilization as further proof that, to a large extent, we can't measure the expectations and excitement of people in relation to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil,” said Ricardo Trade, Chief Executive of Operations and Competitions of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

In addition to Brazilian candidates from the 26 states and the Federal District, there were 7,450 candidates from other countries. Spanish speaking countries make up the top four in the ranking: Colombia (908), Argentina (509), Spain (504) and Mexico (500).

“Besides the cultural exchange that characterizes volunteering at major sporting events, the participation of foreigners ensures the supply of volunteers to areas that need people who speak other languages, such as the competitions areas and attending the press,” said Rodrigo Hermida, the LOC Volunteer Manager.

As of November, the World Cup Committee will contact candidates who have registered to work during the FIFA Confederations Cup, with the next step in the selection process being scheduled for December. In the case of the FIFA World Cup, the schedule is repeated, one year later.

How it works

The volunteer work is unpaid, but the Committee and FIFA provide workers with uniforms, assistance with transport to the location of activities (within the host city) and meals during the work period. Applicants must meet certain requirements, such as being at least 18 years old and available to work for at least 20 consecutive days at the time of the events. Each work shift lasts up to 10 hours. During the selection process, the skills, profile and knowledge of each applicant will be checked.

The ten Federal States with the largest number of entries

São Paulo: 33,208
Rio de Janeiro: 18,763
Minas Gerais: 13,247
Federal District: 8,496
Bahia: 8,228
Rio Grande do Sul: 7,069
Ceará: 5,903
Pernambuco: 5,543
Paraná: 4,935
Amazonas: 4,299

The ten countries with the highest number of entries

Colombia: 908
Argentina: 509
Spain: 504
Mexico: 500
United States: 482
Poland: 458
Peru: 331
China: 282
Germany: 247
Ukraine: 165

Distribution by age group:

16 to 25 years: 67,449
26 to 40 years: 44,871
41 to 64 years: 17,812
Over 65 years: 787

Distribution by gender:

Women: 62,879
Men: 68,040

Sources:

FIFA
World Cup Portal

27 September 2012