The Elon alumna is helping fans from around the globe experience the FIFA World Cup, drawing on the skills she developed as a sport management major.
As thousands of soccer fans streamed toward San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, draped in national flags and chanting hours before kickoff, the energy was palpable.
Swiss fans dressed as cows rang cowbells, Australian fans carried enormous inflatable kangaroos, and Jordanian supporters congregated early outside the gates, waving oversized flags and singing in unison. Together, they created the spectacle that makes the FIFA World Cup unlike any other sporting event.
For Caroline Cirby ’19, those moments were part of her daily routine during the tournament’s opening stages.
As a ticketing operations manager for FIFA, the Elon University graduate spent several months helping fans enjoy the FIFA World Cup. While much of her work happened behind the scenes, Cirby handled everything from validating each seat in the stadium and accessible seating requests to one of the tournament’s toughest challenges: helping fans who unknowingly purchased counterfeit tickets.
“The more games have been played, the more variations of fake tickets have come out,” she explained.
While resolving ticket issues is part of the job, it represents only a fraction of Cirby’s experience. For all six Bay Area matches – including Team USA’s Round of 32 win – she served as the stadium ticketing manager and welcomed more than 410,000 fans to the region she grew up in.
“It’s the World Cup,” she said. “It’s once in a lifetime to be able to be part of an event like this.”
Cirby joined FIFA in January after nearly six years with the San Francisco Giants, where she built a career in ticket operations and services with her hometown team. But the opportunity to work the World Cup was one she couldn’t pass up.
“I was just kind of looking for jobs casually, just to see what was out there, and I threw in an application – and then it worked out,” Cirby said.
Her responsibilities have stretched far beyond match days. Cirby helped hire local stadium staff, prepare cross-functional training for various departments, and ensure FIFA’s ticketing spaces were ready before fans arrived. Once matches began, she moved between entrances and ticket offices, supporting staff and assisting fans whose tickets would not scan, who needed accessible seating accommodations, or who could not locate their tickets.
The role also gave Cirby a front-row view of the tournament’s global fan culture.
“It’s mesmerizing to see these fans and the passion that they have,” Cirby said. “I don’t get to see the full fan marches, but I get to see them arrive at our entrance and go through our turnstiles, and they’re still chanting and cheering.”
Cirby’s path to FIFA began at Elon, majoring in sport management. She fondly remembers attending MLB’s Winter Meetings with her classmates, where she placed resumes in the mailboxes of organizations with job openings.
“I probably put 20 to 30 resumes in and got a couple of interviews, but that’s how I got my first job with the Atlanta Braves right out of college,” Cirby said.
That first role with the Braves eventually led to opportunities with the Giants and, ultimately, FIFA. Looking back, Cirby encourages students interested in the sport industry to cast a wide net.
“Honestly, just apply,” Cirby said. “Putting yourself out there and applying can make a real difference.”
Her World Cup assignment also demanded resolution. For nearly two months, Cirby was based at a hotel in Santa Clara with other FIFA staff because of the long hours and the proximity to the stadium. The work has been especially demanding because Cirby has been doing it with a torn ACL, an injury she sustained this spring playing in a rec league kickball game. After consulting with doctors, she decided to postpone surgery until after the tournament.
“It’s really funny to be like, ‘Not only am I working the World Cup, but I’m walking like 25,000 steps a day on a torn ACL,’” Cirby laughed.
With surgery scheduled for late August, Cirby is looking forward to a well-earned break – and where her career will take her next. But this experience has reaffirmed why she chose a career in sports.
“I grew up playing soccer through high school, and I’ve continued to be a big fan,” Cirby said. “Seeing supporters from so many different countries bring that passion to every match has been the best part of the job.”