World Cup volunteers got 1st test of medical preparedness due to director’s injury
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lori Thomas cut her leg and volunteers took care of her.
- About 3,500 volunteers will staff stadiums, FanFest, transport hubs, media centers and.
- Volunteers carry laminated cards with evacuation info, emergency numbers and a QR code.
Lori Thomas ran an unexpected test for volunteers who will assist visitors at the 2026 World Cup in Kansas City.
It involved herself.
Thomas, who is the KC2026 Director of Volunteer Operations and Workforce, cut her leg on the job Tuesday, and although she wasn’t seriously injured, there was quite a bit of blood. Volunteers sprang into action.
“I cannot be more proud of what we have in place from safety and security measures,” Thomas said Wednesday. “I actually had a little accident myself yesterday, and I can’t be more proud of how many people came in and even took care of me. I laugh because I guess I got to test it out before everybody else comes, and I am just so proud.”
There are roughly 3,500 volunteers, including 1,200 who are under FIFA and will work mainly at Kansas City Stadium (the temporary name of Arrowhead Stadium). The rest will be at FanFest, the bus transportation center, media centers and KCHouse on the Plaza. That is described as a “hospitality venue for global leaders, civic stakeholders and business partners, offering a place to meet, connect and represent Kansas City.”
Thomas said 16,000 people expressed an interest in being a volunteer, with more inquiring after the October deadline passed. Applicants came for a tryout of sorts in November and those that made the cut started training for specific jobs and later did on-site training. Six percent are international visitors, but many more will be able to communicate with international fans.
“We have over 50% that speak other languages, and the large majority is Spanish, Portuguese, French, so we have six languages that are probably the highest, but well over 50% can speak multiple languages,” Thomas said.
Each volunteer is carrying a laminated card with evacuation information, directions to give visitors and emergency numbers. Thomas said police will be near most volunteers should there be a crisis.
On the back of the card is a QR code. Volunteers can scan it and report anything from operational issues to a visitor being harassed to a new for more police officers.
The volunteers, who have special uniforms, also will have access to cooling stations that will be near where they are working.
“We’re all here to make sure that you have a great experience, and I’ve said this: just shine, just smile, just welcome people, and if you’re happy, we’re happy, and the visitors are happy, but we’re here for you,” Thomas said. “This is very, very important. We cannot do this without you, and you’re incredible human beings that are giving back to this community.
“I think Kansas City is rocking it, so we feel really good about all of our plans, and I just can’t say enough about the Kansas City staff and all the partners that have really helped elevate Kansas City in the World Cup with FIFA alongside Kansas City.”
Showing off Kansas City
Alan Stetson is one of the volunteers hoping to make memories and aid people coming to Kansas City.
A semi-retired bank trust officer and estate planning attorney, Stetson has spent decades as a Kansas City Sports Commission volunteer. He has worked at a variety of events from the 1988 Final Four to the 5K races around town.
Helping is in his DNA.
“I was a front entrance greeter at Deanna Rose Farmstead for nine years, and that’s pretty international, because every Saturday or Sunday morning when I was working that front entrance, I’d hear 10 or 20 different dialects, so I loved interacting with those folks,” Stetson said. “And then when the Fort Leavenworth Command and Staff College would come down once a year with their 80 officers and their families, which is 80 different countries were represented. I’ve probably had a little experience, and it’s been a lot of fun. I love interacting with the internationals.”
What is Stetson most looking forward to during the World Cup?
“Just interacting, promoting Kansas City,” he said, “welcoming international fans to Kansas City, and showing them that, yeah, we’re something special.”
