FIFA world cup 2014 may be two years away from now but its preparations have already been started around the world – both on field and off field. Recently, FIFA invited applications from all the interested fans who would like to serve the event as volunteer and to many’s surprise the number of applications has gone beyond everyone’s expectations, i.e., over 130,000! This figure is highest till now in FIFA world cup’s history. Notably, the willing volunteers would be asked to serve for minimum 10 hours a day for twenty days in total. These volunteers will have to make themselves available for three events: FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil next year, 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil again, and draws for the two events. More importantly, in last world cup in South Africa, the number of volunteers applied was just 70,000; almost half of present interested soccer fans who would love to serve their favorite sport.
Everybody knows that soccer is a religion in Brazil where every citizen lives with a dream to be a part of an international soccer game someday, so it’s obvious to have such kind of response from the most native soccer country. In fact, out of total applications received Brazilians are in the highest number followed by Colombia with 908 applications, perhaps no other country could reach to one thousands figure except Brazil; it shows how excited soccer community in Brazil is for their own hosted FIFA world cup 2014. Within Brazil itself, Sao Paulo has the highest number of 33,208 applicants followed by Rio de Janeiro with 18,763 enthusiastic applicants.
Knowingly, age was the important requirement for all the applicants so highest number of applicants come under 16 to 25 years category followed by 44,871 of 26 to 40 years of age. Curiosity doesn’t stop here either, coz there’re as many as 18599 applicants who belong to 40 plus age group and still equally available to cheer their favorite soccer teams. Gender wise there is not a significant difference coz both men and women applicants are almost equal in number with a slight edge to men volunteers. Actually, the mammoth response could also be coz the original deadline was extended till September 21, 2012 which provided every probable volunteer a full month to apply.
The countdown for the FIFA world cup will begin next year with the FIFA Confederations Cup, and thereafter we’ll witness a whole new world of soccer paradise sailing everywhere around us.