Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali (third left) and PSSI Chairperson Mochamad Iriawan (third right) march with the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup mascot “Bacuya” on Car Free Day (CFD) in Jakarta, Sunday (September 18, 2022). ANTARA PHOTO/Galih Pradipta/rwa.

Jakarta (ANTARA) – At least 100 thousand people applied to serve as volunteers at Indonesia's U-20 World Cup 2023 for which registration, open for 10 days through the FIFA Volunteer Platform, was closed on Thursday.

Registration for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup volunteers was supposed to be open until February 2023. However, due to the skyrocketing and even unprecedented number of applications, registration was closed on December 15.

"I am very proud and happy for the response to this volunteer program because it shows that the community is willing to be part of Indonesia's FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023," local committee project lead Maaike Ira Puspita remarked, as cited from the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) official website, here on Thursday.

If there were participants who have registered but had not completed the registration, then the committee gave them time to complete them before December 18, 2022, at 5 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB).

"I would like to thank everyone, who have expressed interest in volunteering. We cannot wait to work with you to make the (U-20) World Cup a great success," Puspita stated.

Of the number of applicants reaching 100 thousand, only about 1,500 people will be selected as volunteers for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup – Indonesia.

The selected volunteers will undergo training provided by the local committee and FIFA to prepare themselves as volunteers for the football competition that will be held on May 20-June 11, 2023.

Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali expressed Indonesia's readiness to host and hold the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

"Overall, we are ready. Once appointed as the host in 2019 when we won the bidding, the president issued a Presidential Decree and a President's Instruction and ordered me, as the person in charge (PIC) of the implementation, PSSI Chairperson as the PIC of the national team's achievements, and the Public Works and Public Housing Minister as the PIC of infrastructure," he noted on Tuesday, September 20, 2022.

Volunteers will get the opportunity to work in functional areas, such as the stadium, training grounds, airport, and hotels.

Translator: Shofi A, Kenzu TEditor: Rahmad Nasution Copyright © ANTARA 2022