SMU students gain behind-the-scenes experience at the FIFA World Cup

From assisting thousands of international journalists to protecting FIFA sponsors and training volunteers, SMU students are playing key roles behind the scenes as Dallas hosts the FIFA World Cup, gaining career experience at one of the world's largest sporting events.

Persistence leads to FIFA World Cup internship

Long before fans from around the globe arrived in Dallas for the FIFA World Cup, sports management major Preston Scott '26 was already working toward an internship with the tournament.

Preston became intrigued by the idea a year ago when he heard Dallas sports media expert Joe Trahan speak at an SMU career panel. Trahan directs PR and communications for the World Cup Organizing Committee as senior account manager for Tony Fay PR. Preston introduced himself after the panel and enrolled in Trahan’s fall 2026 sports PR class at SMU. He also volunteered whenever he could for the professional women’s team, Dallas Trinity FC, one of Tony Fay PR’s clients.

“I told Joe I’m going to keep showing up until you give me an opportunity,” Preston says.

Persistence paid off when Trahan offered him the internship in January.

Since the World Cup began on June 16, Preston divides his time between working with the journalists at the International Broadcast Center at Dallas Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center or the thousands of fans, volunteers and interns at FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park. He is the lead media operations intern, guiding the new interns at both locations, and working with the 3,500 journalists covering the international event.

Protecting FIFA's global sponsors

SMU football player and FIFA World Cup volunteer Addison Nichols attends Dallas World Cup games as a brand protection volunteer, walking the stadium in search of non-official sponsors seizing marketing opportunities. The 6’5’’ Cox Business School MBA student and offensive lineman snaps photos of violations and sends them to FIFA attorneys for evaluation. According to FIFA, Tier 2 sponsors, including McDonald's, Verizon and Bank of America, pay up to $95 million for sponsorship rights.

Addison clocks up to 10 miles in the Texas heat at each match but says it’s worth it. He obtained his internship through SMU’s Life After Ball program for student athletes.

Building a sports media career at the World Cup

Dean Ralsky brought a packed SMU sports broadcasting and writing resume when he applied for a FIFA media operations internship at the International Broadcast Center. He’s a sports reporter and news anchor for SMU-TV and creator and co-host of the “Press Pass” podcast. He’s also a football and basketball analyst for the “On the Pony Express” podcast and co-host of the “After ‘Stangs Show” podcast. In addition, Dean is a sportswriter for the Daily Campus and contributes to On3, a sports media outlet that covers high school and college sports.

As a World Cup intern, he’s adding to his experience at the International Broadcast Center, headquarters for all World Cup coverage. He gives credentials to verified media at the broadcast center and monitors social media to identify ways to improve the experience for fans and media. At the FIFA Fan Festival, he trains volunteers from the U.S. and around the world in the media area, building new friendships along the way. 

“With Dallas as the home site for the most World Cup matches as well as the site for the International Broadcast Center, this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Chip Mahaney, journalism department executive-in-residence. “The connections these students are making will help launch careers.

“Being on this campus and in this major-market city allows incredible connections with top-flight media professionals,” he says. “I always tell my students, ‘Just show up,’ and in Dallas, just showing up leads to great connections and great outcomes with internships and jobs."