Want to do your part for soccer? South Africa’s World Cup needs 15,000 volunteers

JOHANNESBURG — Organizers are looking for 15,000 volunteers to help with the first soccer World Cup to be held in Africa.

Danny Jordaan, head of South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee, put out the call Monday for what he called the “life blood” of the 2010 tournament. Among tasks volunteers are needed to perform are distributing tickets and ushering fans to seats.

Volunteers can apply until Aug. 31 on the FIFA Web site. They must be at least 18 as of March and able to speak, read and write English.

Most of the volunteers will be South African. Ten percent of the slots are for other Africans, and 10 percent for non-Africans.

On the Net:

FIFA: www.FIFA.com/volunteers2010.