GOAL!!!! Hospitality scores big at 2026 FIFA World Cup

When the U.S. lost to Belgium during the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup match in Atlanta this week, an FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism alumna was there.

When Pitbull took the stage at Bayfront Park for the Miami FIFA Fan Festival opening ceremony, hospitality student Jake Aylward was there.

And when the Tartan Army of Scottish fans stormed Miami, more than a dozen hospitality students and alumni helped welcome them to the Magic City.

FIU Hospitality students Sendy Reimers (left) and Sigourney Kame working at MIiami FIFA Fan Fest

For the past month, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken over the world stage and put the U.S., Mexico and Canada in the spotlight as host countries. But also on full display was local host city Miami, which showed off a hospitable and welcoming environment to which students and alumni of FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management contributed as they work on the the front lines of the global soccer tournament.

“Feeling grateful for the incredible people I’ve met, the memories made and the opportunity to be part of something so special,” said Samatha Wagner MS '25 BS '23, an double hospitality alumna, who served as a senior workforce coordinator. She has been based in Atlanta and on site working all seven games there so far. With one game left there, she says the experience has been “a dream come true.”

FIU hospitality alumna Samantha Wagner (left) and student Fabiola Quereguan working at the FIFA World Cup 2026

Through its closing earlier this week, more than a dozen FIU alumni and students, including hospitality graduate student Sendy Reimers, had been clocking into the Miami FIFA Fan Fest in downtown. As a venue manager, Reimers was in charge of one of five fan zones and oversaw more than 2,000 volunteers. The volunteers had the task of keeping football fans informed and ensuring their safety, which included enforcing hydration breaks among the crowd cheering the action on huge outdoors screens beneath an often-blazing sun and ushering out festivalgoers on the occasions when lighting sirens went off to alert of danger.

“I loved the experience,” said Reimers. “Everything that you learn in class, you see right there in front of you. Everything has to be fast. It’s an event, people are excited that you are excited along with them,” she added.

More than a dozen FIU hospitality students, alumni and faculty have worked at the World Cup this summer.

From Miami to Seattle to Toronto and beyond, FIU Panthers represented in a variety of roles all over the Americas.

Miranda Ghirimoldi MS '23, who graduated from FIU Chaplin School with her master's degree specialization in Mega Event Management, served on the FIFA guest operations team as the VIP guest relations senior coordinator.

For students like Jake Aylward, who interned with event company Event Logistics, Inc., being part of one of the world’s largest sporting events was an incredible addition to his résumé. Aylward, who graduates this year, says he got the opportunity to be a part of it after working the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®.

"I’m part of the operations team at FIFA World Cup. To be a part of FIFA World Cup is just huge. I feel like I’m making a difference,” he said.

Paws up from hospitality students Ethan Amor (left) and Jake Aylward (right), see at Miami FIFA Fan Fest

For mega events management program lead professor Sharifa Wilkinson, being able to work for FIFA and be part of one of the biggest events in the world is a lifelong dream come true.

“If you had told 10-year-old me, standing on a soccer field in Toronto, that one day I’d help deliver a FIFA World Cup in the city I call home, I couldn’t have imagined it,” she said. Wilkinson is a FIFA Fan Festival venue manager in her home country of Canada. She’ll be back in the classroom in August to bring her real-world experience into the curriculum.

Professor Sharifa Wilkinson living a chlidhood dream by working for FIFA World Cup

For students, that’s the biggest lesson learned: that education doesn't just happen on campus but is also about experiences and making connections.

“When we said we were from FIU, people were happy because they know we have a good reputation,” said Reimers. “I learned a lot about the hospitality industry. I met so many people. Made a lot of connections.”