With the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 scheduled in October later this year, the Local Organising Committee for the event launched the Volunteer Programme on 6th March, to offer a chance to the people of India to contribute their services for the event. In little over a month, the numbers received have already been impressive with more than 24000 applicants already.

On 15th May 2017, a month from now, the Volunteer Programme applications will close.

AIFF President and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Praful Patel said, “The response for the Volunteer Programme has been extremely overwhelming with almost 25 thousand applications in the first one month. Football enthusiasts from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh have registered to help make this event a grand success”.

Describing the challenges of managing the process, Project Director for the LOC, Joy Bhattacharjya added, “As an LOC, while on one hand we are delighted that so many are excited to be part of the World Cup’s 25th team, on the other, it leaves us with the challenge of volunteer selection as eventually, only 1500 will get to volunteer for the tournament.

The screening has already started, and with e-volunteering and Mission XI Million we look to engage as many deserving applicants as possible”.

So far Kochi is the favourite for applicants with it being the choice host city for the maximum number of applicants followed by New Delhi and Kolkata.

The enthusiasm of so many ambitious and keen people to want to help organise the first FIFA tournament in India has truly been heartening and the LOC is keen to see more people come forward in the final month and apply for the programme.

Link to register: http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/organisation/volunteers