While the world watched, UNT Health employees helped welcome the world
As millions of fans tuned in to watch Spain defeat Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, the tournament marked the end of a month-long celebration that brought the world to North Texas.
Behind every match, fan festival and media event were thousands of volunteers working to ensure visitors from around the globe felt welcome. Several members of the UNT Health Fort Worth community answered that call. While many contributed to the tournament's success, three volunteers shared their unique experiences working behind the scenes.
Though their assignments varied, Senior Community Engagement Strategist Annabel Luna-Smith, Senior Communications Specialist for Internal Communications Cindy Vasquez and College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences adjunct instructor James Renfro shared a common goal: serving others and showcasing the hospitality of North Texas.
For Luna-Smith, volunteering was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.
"Having DFW be a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I wanted to take a shot at being part of it," she said. "I wanted to be part of the global excitement and contribute to fans having a great experience while visiting our area."
Selected through a competitive process that included an application, assessments, interviews, training and background checks, Luna-Smith joined FIFA's Host City Management team at Ambassador Row, a centralized consular and fan support hub located at Choctaw Stadium. There, she helped connect international visitors with consular representatives, assisted fans who had lost passports or needed emergency services, and supported consulate staff from participating countries.
She intentionally volunteered when Argentina was playing, hoping her Spanish-language skills could help visitors feel more at ease.
"I wanted to be there, available, if anyone from another country needed help," Luna-Smith said. "That's what I would want to receive when I travel internationally too, especially to a country for the first time or with a language that I don't speak."
Outside her volunteer shifts, Luna-Smith immersed herself in the World Cup experience by attending Fan Fest events, joining supporters' marches for teams including the Netherlands and Egypt, celebrating with Argentine fans at Klyde Warren Park and participating in cultural events hosted by countries competing in the tournament.
Those experiences reinforced what she says she'll remember most.
"Regardless of the different cultures, languages, music, food and traditions, we can all come together to celebrate an occasion," she said. "Language was not a problem, and a smile always sent a message."
While Luna-Smith helped visitors navigate North Texas, Renfro was stationed inside
the stadium as part of FIFA's Guest Operations team. 
His role placed him at the VIP and VVIP entrances, where he worked alongside FIFA hospitality and security teams to help coordinate the arrival of former World Cup players, athletes, heads of state, government officials and players' families.
"I have always been fascinated with soccer and have played since I was six years old," Renfro said. "This is such a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and because it is truly a world event, I wanted to take a shot at being a part of it while it was here in DFW."
Beyond the excitement of being behind the scenes, Renfro said the experience reminded him of the importance of service.
"It has been very rewarding to serve as a smiling and helpful presence to visitors and to welcome them to our city and country," he said. "It's been like a giant world party in our own backyard."
Renfro also saw parallels between volunteering and his work at UNT Health Fort Worth.
"Giving matters, serving others matters," he said. "No matter where we go and what we do, we are on the world stage in some capacity."
For Vasquez, the tournament offered an opportunity to combine her communications expertise
with a passion for connecting people across cultures.
As a media operations volunteer at the Host City Media Center, she assisted international journalists covering their national teams, including members of the media from Argentina, Japan, Colombia, Spain and the Netherlands.
"It felt special to greet them in their own language," Vasquez said. "I was able to use some of the cultural sensitivity and competency training I've had to communicate with people even when we didn't share a mutual language."
She credits teamwork and collaboration—skills she uses every day at UNT Health Fort Worth—for preparing her to work alongside volunteers from different backgrounds and areas of expertise.
"You don't have to speak the same language to understand each other," she said.
Looking back, Vasquez says the tournament was about much more than soccer.
"The World Cup in and of itself is a beautiful display of cultures," she said. "I would encourage everyone to go out, meet people from other countries and share in new experiences and celebrations."
Although each volunteer served in a different role, they shared a common mission: helping visitors feel welcome while representing North Texas on the world stage.
For Luna-Smith, Renfro and Vasquez, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be remembered not just for the matches played on the field, but for the connections made off it—proof that service, kindness and hospitality can speak every language.