Hyderabadi volunteer shares unforgettable FIFA World Cup experience

Hyderabad-born Korapati Mahender, now based in New Jersey, was among 60,000 volunteers selected for the FIFA World Cup from nearly one million applicants. He described the experience as unforgettable and said he now hopes to volunteer at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Hyderabad: At 60, he had the choice of staying relaxed at home and watching the FIFA World Cup on TV. But Hyderabadi Korapati Mahender preferred to be there and grabbed the opportunity to become one of the 60,000 volunteers selected from about one million applicants for the World Cup, which ended on Sunday night with Spain emerging as the winner.

Yes, it has been a remarkable journey for Mahender, who dabbled in many sports as a child in the bylanes of Panjagutta Colony in the city, to be part of the FIFA World Cup.

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“No doubt, it is a different kind of experience to be part of a sporting event of that magnitude. It is a way of giving back to the host country by serving the millions of fans who descended on the US to watch the World Cup,” said Mahender, a pharmaceutical consultant and resident of New Jersey since 1990.

“The year-long process of becoming a volunteer for the FIFA World Cup is not easy. There are quite a few stages after you apply online. There are personality tests, language assessments and communication skill evaluations. Interestingly, I was asked which was my favourite position on a football field. When I replied ‘goalkeeper’, they were pleasantly surprised,” said Mahender, who is a frequent visitor to his hometown, in a chat with Telangana Today.

“The volunteers are given the option to choose the matches they want to work at, and I chose four, including the World Cup final. I am naturally elated by the unforgettable experience,” he said, reflecting the sentiments of thousands of volunteers at the mega event.

“Frankly, it is not about getting any awards or seeking any favours. When we decide to be volunteers, it is purely for the love of the sport and the commitment to contribute in our own way to the success of the World Cup,” said Mahender.

“For the smooth conduct of an event of this scale across all the host cities, it is the volunteers who make it happen,” he added.

Interestingly, most of the volunteers were not able to watch the matches, though some were allowed to briefly catch a glimpse of the action. “I was not keen to breach the norms, though I did get a chance to see the action during the final. I preferred to stick to the rules,” said Mahender, who worked in the hospitality segment.

“Yes, we did feel the pressure because VVIPs, including US President Donald Trump, were there. We had a really tough time because the whole event was conducted on a massive scale. But things settled down an hour before the final started,” he recalled.

“Definitely, nothing beats the experience of being at a FIFA World Cup final. We are already getting ready to sign up as volunteers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” signed off the articulate sports enthusiast.