For most of the 50,000 volunteers serving the FIFA World Cup 2026™, this summer marks a first — a first stadium shift, a first wave of arriving fans, a first glimpse of what it means to be at the centre of the world's biggest sporting event. For Paula Rodrigues Pontes, it is something altogether more familiar.

Pontes, a Spanish language teacher at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, has been part of the FIFA volunteer family for over a decade, having made her debut at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013™ in her hometown of Belo Horizonte. She is now serving as an engagement volunteer at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, bringing that same passion to her adopted home city.

A journey rooted in love for the game

Born in Belo Horizonte, Pontes moved to the United States to pursue a graduate degree, eventually becoming a high school teacher and a U.S. citizen. She has dedicated herself to service in many forms — volunteering at her church, at Chastain Park, and with the Atlanta Track Club — as well as contributing to FIFA competitions including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, Pontes traces both her love of football and her instinct to volunteer to her Brazilian upbringing.