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Joe Kuczynski "wouldn't want to miss" the 2026 FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium – even if he has to earn his place.
A Bayonne native who lives in Cranford, Kuczynski has been volunteering for 33 years, mostly in soccer. After watching the '94 World Cup match between Germany and Bulgaria at the Meadowlands as a fan, Kuczynski helped out at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1999 and Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2015, also in East Rutherford.
His big goal is next year's men's World Cup, arguably the world's biggest sporting event. But next on his summer calendar is a trial run, the FIFA Club World Cup, which will play its semifinals on July 8 and 9 and the final on July 13, all at MetLife.
Kuczynski has grown from volunteering for the Cranford Soccer Club and New Jersey Youth Soccer while his kids, Mark and Julie Ann, were playing, to bringing them along with him to the Club World Cup.
"When I look back, it's like, 'Wow, time has gone so fast,'" said Kuczysnki, 69, a retired IT professional. "It's almost like I'm giving them the torch to continue their volunteer journey."
About 900 volunteers in New Jersey and New York are helping to put on the Club World Cup, part of a nationwide corps of nearly 9,000. FIFA volunteer management coordinator Vanessa Elver said about 68,000 people applied to be part of the tournament's unpaid staff.
Tania Medney has already applied to volunteer at World Cup matches at MetLife next summer. After seeing a message on her online dashboard about the Club World Cup, the 70-year-old from Edgemont in Westchester County also signed up for the lesser-known tournament, hoping it would improve her chances of a '26 World Cup spot.
Medney also has plenty of experience volunteering at big events, including with her daughter at the 2016 Olympics in her hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Medney, who speaks English, Portuguese, French and some Spanish, was based at the Eiffel Tower venue for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Closer to home, she ran the Armonk soccer venue, and helped with marketing and ambiance, when the Mid-Westchester JCC hosted the Maccabiah Games in 2009.
"I absolutely love the energy of sports, and the camaraderie of people who root for a particular team," said Medney, who has two adult children.
More: FIFA Club World Cup fans travel long distances, continue traditions at MetLife Stadium
The FIFA application process was quite rigorous, requiring essays and even a video. Elver was looking for multilingual volunteers who wanted to be "a friendly face for those who choose to come to the stadium."
The ability to commit to all the matches at a single venue was also important, as was past volunteer experience, because, Elver said, "we know we're there for the right reasons." Elver expects the World Cup volunteer application to open in August.
There will be 16 World Cup venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with MetLife Stadium hosting the final on July 19, 2026.
FIFA volunteers fill many different roles at tournaments, including media operations, ticketing, helping with on-field pre-match ceremonies, FIFA brand protection, and even bringing water and snacks to their peers.
Kuczynski is part of the hospitality group, with his son Mark, 35, and daughter Julie Ann, 38, of Garwood, mainly giving directions to improve fan experience. A certified soccer referee, Medney is part of the referee and ball crew team.
"A lot of volunteers take it super seriously," said Elver, who is from London. "They take the lead. I think that's really beautiful. They're here to show their experience and expertise as well."
More: Here's how to get to FIFA Club World Cup matches at MetLife using NJ Transit
Though volunteers are not supposed to watch matches while wearing their bright blue uniform T-shirts, Medney hopes to catch part of any match including a Brazilian club. Her favorite team, Flamengo, was eliminated by Bayern Munich, 4-2, in the Round of 16 on June 29 in Miami.
"There's a camaraderie in volunteering for something you really love," Medney said. "Being with people who love to do it, in that environment, is really special. Once you do it, you have a bug and can't stop."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Meet the NJ 2025 FIFA Club World Cup volunteers
Continue reading...
A Bayonne native who lives in Cranford, Kuczynski has been volunteering for 33 years, mostly in soccer. After watching the '94 World Cup match between Germany and Bulgaria at the Meadowlands as a fan, Kuczynski helped out at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1999 and Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2015, also in East Rutherford.
His big goal is next year's men's World Cup, arguably the world's biggest sporting event. But next on his summer calendar is a trial run, the FIFA Club World Cup, which will play its semifinals on July 8 and 9 and the final on July 13, all at MetLife.
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Kuczynski has grown from volunteering for the Cranford Soccer Club and New Jersey Youth Soccer while his kids, Mark and Julie Ann, were playing, to bringing them along with him to the Club World Cup.
"When I look back, it's like, 'Wow, time has gone so fast,'" said Kuczysnki, 69, a retired IT professional. "It's almost like I'm giving them the torch to continue their volunteer journey."
About 900 volunteers in New Jersey and New York are helping to put on the Club World Cup, part of a nationwide corps of nearly 9,000. FIFA volunteer management coordinator Vanessa Elver said about 68,000 people applied to be part of the tournament's unpaid staff.
Tania Medney has already applied to volunteer at World Cup matches at MetLife next summer. After seeing a message on her online dashboard about the Club World Cup, the 70-year-old from Edgemont in Westchester County also signed up for the lesser-known tournament, hoping it would improve her chances of a '26 World Cup spot.
Medney also has plenty of experience volunteering at big events, including with her daughter at the 2016 Olympics in her hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Medney, who speaks English, Portuguese, French and some Spanish, was based at the Eiffel Tower venue for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Closer to home, she ran the Armonk soccer venue, and helped with marketing and ambiance, when the Mid-Westchester JCC hosted the Maccabiah Games in 2009.
"I absolutely love the energy of sports, and the camaraderie of people who root for a particular team," said Medney, who has two adult children.
More: FIFA Club World Cup fans travel long distances, continue traditions at MetLife Stadium
How to be a World Cup volunteer
The FIFA application process was quite rigorous, requiring essays and even a video. Elver was looking for multilingual volunteers who wanted to be "a friendly face for those who choose to come to the stadium."
The ability to commit to all the matches at a single venue was also important, as was past volunteer experience, because, Elver said, "we know we're there for the right reasons." Elver expects the World Cup volunteer application to open in August.
There will be 16 World Cup venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with MetLife Stadium hosting the final on July 19, 2026.
FIFA volunteers fill many different roles at tournaments, including media operations, ticketing, helping with on-field pre-match ceremonies, FIFA brand protection, and even bringing water and snacks to their peers.
Kuczynski is part of the hospitality group, with his son Mark, 35, and daughter Julie Ann, 38, of Garwood, mainly giving directions to improve fan experience. A certified soccer referee, Medney is part of the referee and ball crew team.
You must be registered for see images attach
"A lot of volunteers take it super seriously," said Elver, who is from London. "They take the lead. I think that's really beautiful. They're here to show their experience and expertise as well."
More: Here's how to get to FIFA Club World Cup matches at MetLife using NJ Transit
Though volunteers are not supposed to watch matches while wearing their bright blue uniform T-shirts, Medney hopes to catch part of any match including a Brazilian club. Her favorite team, Flamengo, was eliminated by Bayern Munich, 4-2, in the Round of 16 on June 29 in Miami.
"There's a camaraderie in volunteering for something you really love," Medney said. "Being with people who love to do it, in that environment, is really special. Once you do it, you have a bug and can't stop."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Meet the NJ 2025 FIFA Club World Cup volunteers
Continue reading...
