Md Ahsanul Haque, an alumnus of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), has been appointed as a Host City Ambassador for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the New York–New Jersey host city.

Ahsanul holds a BSc in Environmental Management and an MSc in Climate Change and Development. His appointment is the result of participation in the FIFA World Cup volunteer programme, which involved a highly competitive global selection process.

During his time at IUB, Ahsanul was involved in various co-curricular activities, including debating, IEEE student activities, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, photography, and sports. He notes that these experiences contributed to the development of his communication skills and teamwork abilities.

He also acknowledges the support of mentors and senior colleagues during his university years.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 volunteer programme received over one million applications globally. Approximately 65,000 volunteers were selected across different host cities. In the New York–New Jersey region, 35,000 applicants competed for 8,000 volunteer positions.

Following the selection process and training, Ahsanul was assigned as a Host City Ambassador in March 2026.

As a Host City Ambassador, his responsibilities include assisting visitors, providing event-related information, and supporting the overall matchday operations to ensure smooth crowd management and visitor experience.

He described the role as focused on coordination, communication, and service delivery during large-scale international events.

Ahsanul has previously been involved in more than 50 volunteering activities, including campus-based programmes, liaison work with the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), event coordination at the Dhaka International Folk Festival, and crowd management support.

While stationed in the United States, he also engages with international visitors and shares information about Bangladesh when relevant in conversation.