What to know
- The Workers Action Centre is criticizing FIFA for relying on roughly 3,000 volunteers, arguing many roles should be paid rather than volunteer positions.
- The group says FIFA reported billions in profits while Toronto committed $380 million to host World Cup matches, questioning why more paid employment opportunities weren’t created for local workers.
- Executive Director Deena Laad argues the issue extends beyond FIFA, alleging major sporting events often rely on unpaid labour instead of creating paid jobs and leave host communities with fewer long-term benefits than promised.
- FIFA rejects that claim, saying volunteers complement—not replace—its paid workforce and the program complies with labour laws in each host country.
- FIFA says it received more than 1.1 million volunteer applications worldwide, including about 387,000 from Canada, and has offered roles to more than 5,000 volunteers across Toronto and Vancouver.
- The organization says volunteers receive uniforms, shoes, meals and rest breaks, and self-schedule their shifts.
The Workers’ Action Centre is criticizing FIFA’s volunteer program for the 2026 World Cup, arguing some volunteer roles resemble paid work rather than traditional volunteer positions.
FIFA rejects that characterization, saying the program complies with labour laws, supplements, rather than replaces, paid staff, and attracted more than 1.1 million applications worldwide.”FIFA categorically rejects any suggestion that its Volunteer Programme replaces paid employment, circumvents labour laws or is inconsistent with applicable employment protections,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The City of Toronto spent $380M as a host city for the FIFA World Cup, but the Workers Action Centre, an organization who defends workers rights, is calling the sports organization out for spending money without giving any return-in-investment to Toronto’s employment sector or infrastructure.
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The Workers’ Action Centre argues volunteer opportunities in areas such as hospitality, transportation, broadcast services and anti-doping resemble paid work.
FIFA disputes that characterization, saying volunteers do not perform specialist functions. Instead, it says they support tournament operations in defined, non-specialist roles—for example, helping media personnel during press conferences, escorting players to anti-doping control rooms rather than administering tests, and assisting spectators with navigation and the FIFA ticketing app.
Workers Action Centre’s Executive Director Deena Laad says that a true volunteer position would be leading someone to their seat or checking tickets.
“The jobs that volunteers are being asked to do are not volunteer jobs… They’re doing jobs that should be paid jobs,” she told Now Toronto.
But FIFA rejects these claims.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Volunteer Programme was implemented in compliance, and continues to comply, with the laws and regulations of each Host Country,” a spokesperson said. “Volunteer roles are designed to complement tournament operations and do not displace paid employees or contracted service providers.”
FIFA added that any other international sporting events have volunteers supporting the tournaments in defined, non-specialist roles, rather than engaging in unfair labour practices.
The WAC says FIFA’s volunteer requirements also exclude many soccer fans who are working full-time but would love to help one evening from volunteering due to its 48-hour commitment: eight shifts of six hours.
But FIFA specified that shifts are voluntary and self-scheduled – they can be four, six hour shifts, as they please. Volunteers are not expected or required to stay beyond confirmed shifts, even in cases of delays or extra time.
The Workers’ Action Centre also raised concerns about volunteer uniforms and equipment.
FIFA says every volunteer receives a full uniform, including Adidas shoes, and disputed claims that volunteers are expected to provide their own footwear.
FIFA says volunteers supplement paid workforce
FIFA says its volunteer program mirrors those used at other major international sporting events and is intended to support—not replace—its paid workforce.
“Volunteer roles are designed to complement tournament operations and do not displace paid employees or contracted service providers,” the spokesperson said.
FIFA added that volunteers work in defined, non-specialist roles and that suggestions the program is intended to avoid labour protections “are simply false.”
@brandongonezshow A worker at the San Fransisco Bay Area Stadium for the World Cup went viral after revealing she was instructed to cover the Nike logo on her shoes with tape while working at the tournament because they weren’t Adidas. Do you think they’re doing too much?💬👟 #Nike #Adidas #WorldCup #SanFransisco ♬ original sound – The Brandon Gonez Show
Laad estimates that if FIFA decided to pay the volunteers, it would cost them $2 to $3 million dollars within their four billion dollars profit.
Laad also believes that the City of Toronto’s reasoning that it brings economic benefit is not accurate.
She said there are only 12 mini soccer pitches that should be built around the city, but only four have currently been installed.
“Where is the economic benefit? It’s not going into the City of Toronto’s public transportation infrastructure, supporting the unhoused, getting new shelter beds. In fact, they’re all getting cleared off the streets, and there’s nowhere to go,” Laad said. “That’s why we gave them a red card, because this is ridiculous.”
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This is not an isolated issue. It happens with every major sports event, Laad alleges.
“Same thing with the Olympics. Every time a major sports event takes place in any city, you know we’re not getting the kind of benefits for the community,” she alleges.
