FIFA has just announced that official applications for the Volunteer Programme are now available. So if you want to get involved and into the thick of things, be sure to visit their site and volunteer now.

The registration/application entries for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ are open. Cut off date is 31 August 2009.

Anyone may apply, as long as they:

* are 18 years or older (by 1 March 2010)
* Can speak English well
* Have a Grade 12 or Matric or higher qualification.

Any questions? Contact the Volunteer Call Centre on 0800 52 52 52, where you can receive more information regarding the programme and/or the process that will be followed.

Or apply online on the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ site http://tinyurl.com/no94ef

Almost 50 000 people from all over the world have responded to the call for volunteer applications for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

With little over a week left to submit applications, 47 251 applications have been processed through FIFA.com since the volunteer programme opened on 20 July.

According to a statement by the 2010 Organising Committee (OC), with an average of 1 500 applications being received per day, the volunteer programme is set to break the 50 000 mark by the cut-off date at the end of August.

This would surpass the number of applications received for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, which was 48 167.

Johannesburg is leading the pack in terms of applications with 11 969 volunteers across the two venues of Ellis Park and Soccer City, while Pretoria has 6 176 applications. Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) has 4 752 and Cape Town 4 356, while Durban currently has 3 971.

Anyone still wishing to apply to be a volunteer for the World Cup is encouraged to do so - especially if you have specific skills and a driver's license.

Apply at www.fifa.com/volunteers2010or contact the toll-free volunteer hotline on 0800 52 52 52.

Courtesy: BuaNews

Amazing!! Latest reports are that almost 70,000 people from around the world have applied to volunteer for the 2010 FIFA (TM) World Cup, according to our local organising committee.

A total of 67,999 people from 170 countries have applied for the 15,000 volunteer positions.

Apart from South Africa (naturally!) the largest number of applications came from Nigeria with 750, then 554 from the United States, 489 from Brazil, 449 from Zimbabwe, 414 from Italy, 375 from Cameroon, 109 from the Democratic Republic of Congo and 106 from Lesotho.

"We would like to thank the thousands of people who applied to be volunteers," LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan said in a statement.

"The programme has certainly proved to be hugely popular and we are honoured by the incredible response we have received from around the world."

The number of applications exceeded the 48,167 received when Germany hosted the event in 2006.

Applicants will be screened and interviews are supposed to begin in December. Overseas applicants will be interviewed via teleconference.

Courtesy: Sapa