Huge number of World Cup volunteers

Published Sep. 24, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

FIFA says about 130,000 people have applied to become volunteers at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a record for football's showcase event.

The number surpasses the 48,000 candidates for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the 70,000 applicants for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Of the total candidates for Brazil, 76 percent also applied to help at next year's Confederations Cup.

About 15,000 volunteers will work at the World Cup and 7,000 at the Confederations Cup.

FIFA said Monday it took only eight days to reach the initial goal of 90,000 candidates. About 40,000 applied in the first 24 hours after the program was launched Aug. 21.

Most of the applicants are in the 16-25 age group and 52 percent are men. Nearly 7,500 are from abroad.