What It’s Like ... to Plan One of the World’s Biggest Events
Fueled by the endurance and adaptability she built at Rollins, Morgan Colley ’17 is helping bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to life on the world’s biggest stage.
By Morgan Colley ’17, as told to Jessica Firpi ’11
December 15, 2025
For Morgan Colley ’17, what started as a willingness to say yes—to new sports, new challenges, and new possibilities at Rollins—has become the driving force behind her career supporting one of the world’s largest events. As venue management planning and project manager for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Colley coordinates the intricate operations behind 16 stadiums spread out across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, ensuring that the fan experience unfolds seamlessly from start to finish. She credits Rollins for helping her build the endurance and adaptability she now relies on daily and shares what it’s like to help bring the world’s most-watched sporting event to life.
The moment it all clicked for me was under the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. I’ll never forget standing at the halfway line as Real Madrid and Barcelona walked out for El Clásico. It was only the third time in history this legendary matchup between two of the most iconic football clubs was being played in the U.S., and I helped make it happen. Eighty-thousand people in the stands, the roar of the crowd, the energy—it was electric. I remember thinking, “I can’t believe this is my job.”
That night cemented my passion for bringing global soccer experiences to life. I promised myself I’d work a World Cup someday, even if it meant volunteering. Now I’m part of the team planning the 2026 tournament, which still feels surreal.
In my role, I help bring together experts across departments to plan operations months in advance for 16 stadiums in three countries. And the scale will be even bigger this time—the 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history and the first time matches will be hosted across three different countries.
I help coordinate everything from site visits with more than 100 FIFA staff to operational planning procedures, multilingual wayfinding, security, and crowd-control logistics. Every decision funnels through venue management, so I work across every department to make sure it all fits together.
I tell people Rollins was the best decision I ever made because so many of my cross-functional skills took root there. I’d never played sports before, but Rollins gave me the space to try different things. I was rowing at 5 a.m., running cross country, leading Immersions, getting involved in campus life—it was a lot, but it taught me how to handle pressure and still show up as part of a team. Rollins gave me the grit and confidence to walk into big, unfamiliar spaces and figure things out.
Studying abroad in Amsterdam really changed everything for me. I met people from all over the world, saw how different cultures work, and realized I wanted to keep working internationally. In my current position, I’m constantly bridging worlds—Europe’s deep football culture and America’s big-event mindset, for example. Rollins taught me how to work with all kinds of people and how to stay adaptable.
My journey to FIFA started 10 years ago putting on international friendlies with some of the biggest clubs in the world. Back then, soccer was just starting to really take off in the U.S. Now I see people everywhere wearing Manchester United and Real Madrid jerseys. Being part of that growth helped prepare me for this moment.
When the FIFA World Cup was announced for North America, it felt like everything I’d been doing—every late night, every project, every “yes” I said at Rollins, every email to people who’d worked previous World Cups—led me to this. It’s a huge challenge. Some days it feels like I’m back in exam season at Rollins—it just never stops. But every day feels like a master class in global event management, and I’m so grateful for all of it.
After this tournament, I hope to keep working on major global events—like the Olympics, the next World Cup, or the UEFA Euros. I’ve always admired people who move from one massive event to the next learning how to make something work on a world stage. That’s what I want to do.
And maybe the thing I’m proudest of is being part of a slow but meaningful change. There still aren’t many women in football leadership. I want to help change that—first by earning my seat at the table and then by opening more seats for others.
That’s the legacy I hope to leave: that curiosity, courage, and saying “yes” can take you anywhere—even to the World Cup.
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