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The FIFA World Cup may last only a few weeks, but many of the careers powering it are expected to remain in demand long after the final whistle.
Zety’s World Cup Career Index ranks the top 15 jobs that play a critical role in tournament operations, support long-term career growth, and typically don’t require a bachelor’s degree.
To determine which industries are most closely tied to the event, Zety researchers analyzed publicly available World Cup planning materials and identified occupations aligned with at least one of five key operational areas: transportation and crowd logistics, venue operations, public safety, infrastructure, and tourism support.
Researchers then used salary and projected job growth data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), along with each occupation’s relevance across the five operational areas, to calculate a World Cup Career Index Score and determine final rankings.
By combining labor market trends with operational relevance, the analysis identifies jobs with no degree that are best positioned to benefit from both tournament-related demand and broader workforce growth.
Key Findings
- Transportation, storage, and distribution managers rank first overall with a World Cup Career Index Score of 84, reflecting high wages, long-term growth potential, and overlap across all five operational areas.
- All top-ranked occupations report mean annual salaries of at least $60,000, with three exceeding $90,000.
- Occupational health and safety technicians and industrial machinery mechanics have the highest projected growth rates at 12% and 13%, respectively, compared to the national average of 3%.
- More than half of the top 15 occupations are tied to infrastructure, utilities, or facility maintenance, highlighting the workforce needed to support large-scale events.
World Cup Index’s Top 15 High-Paying Jobs With No Degree
World Cup Career Index scores reflect how each occupation compares to others in the study, with higher scores indicating greater alignment with both tournament workforce demand and long-term employment potential.
While the majority of these occupations provide good-paying careers without a college degree, additional certifications and on-the-job training may be required.
| Rank | Occupation | World Cup Career Index Score | Mean Annual Salary | Projected Growth Rate | Operational Relevance Score (1–5 Scale) |
| 1 | Transportation, Storage, & Distribution Managers | 84 | $121,600 | 6% | 5 |
| 2 | Electrical Power-Line Installers & Repairers | 63 | $91,970 | 7% | 3 |
| 3 | Occupational Health & Safety Technicians | 62 | $68,120 | 12% | 3 |
| 4 | Electricians | 58 | $71,490 | 9% | 3 |
| 5 | Fire Inspectors & Investigators | 56 | $78,670 | 6% | 3 |
| 6 | Elevator & Escalator Installers & Repairers | 54 | $109,820 | 5% | 2 |
| 7 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 53 | $68,460 | 13% | 2 |
| 8 | Flight Attendants | 52 | $77,440 | 9% | 2 |
| 9 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters | 48 | $72,170 | 4% | 3 |
| 10 | Security & Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 48 | $60,960 | 10% | 3 |
| 11 | Aircraft Mechanics & Service Technicians | 48 | $84,740 | 5% | 2 |
| 12 | Heating, Air-Conditioning, & Refrigeration Mechanics & Installers | 47 | $64,780 | 8% | 3 |
| 13 | Avionics Technicians | 46 | $83,380 | 5% | 2 |
| 14 | Structural Iron & Steel Workers | 45 | $70,280 | 4% | 3 |
| 15 | First-Line Supervisors of Transportation & Material Moving Workers | 41 | $66,860 | 4% | 3 |
How 5 World Cup Sectors Can Fuel Long-Term Employment
Hosting a global event like the World Cup can create sustained demand for tourism and operational support that extends well beyond the tournament itself. The logistical frameworks, public safety protocols, and infrastructure upgrades required for the tournament can quickly become a foundation for regional development.
Zety’s index highlights how this momentum could drive long-term career growth across five critical areas:
- Transportation and crowd logistics: The massive supply chain networks built to move millions of fans and tons of equipment don’t disappear after the finals. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers (#1) are critical to transitioning these temporary tournament networks into permanent regional logistical hubs.
- Venue and event operations: World Cup stadiums and fan zones are often designed to function as multiuse entertainment and sports corridors for years to come. This may contribute to sustained demand for skilled trade jobs, including elevator and escalator installers and repairers (#6) and heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (#12), that help keep these facilities operational year-round.
- Public safety and security: Major international events require cities to overhaul their emergency and security protocols. This may create a permanent baseline for enhanced public safety, accelerating the demand for occupational health and safety technicians (#3) and fire inspectors and investigators (#5) long after the crowds leave.
- Infrastructure and utilities: Upgrading a city’s power grids, transit lines, and communication networks to meet FIFA standards requires an army of skilled labor. Because these systems require ongoing modernization, roles like electrical power-line installers and repairers (#2) and electricians (#4) see long-term career resilience.
- Tourism and visitor support: A World Cup puts host regions on a global stage, triggering a sustained, multiyear lift in international tourism. This shift may support ongoing demand for aviation infrastructure professionals, including flight attendants (#8) and aircraft mechanics and service technicians (#11).
From Short-Term Demand to Long-Term Career Success
The World Cup may capture global attention for what happens on the field, but its success depends on a workforce that’s often overlooked. From maintaining critical infrastructure to managing complex transportation networks, many of the high-paying jobs in this index reflect the practical skills that keep cities, businesses, and public services running every day.
As employers continue to face labor shortages in essential industries, these careers offer a reminder that some of the strongest opportunities for advancement exist in fields where demand is driven not by a single event but by the ongoing needs of modern communities.
For press inquiries, please contact Skyler Acevedo at skyler.acevedo@bold.com.
Methodology
Zety analyzed publicly available FIFA World Cup planning documents, including:
- U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) World Cup Planning Toolkit
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Sustainability & Human Rights Strategy
- Local host city playbooks (e.g., New York, New York; Kansas City, Missouri; Seattle, Washington)
Based on recurring workforce functions identified across these materials, Zety researchers determined five key World Cup operational areas:
- Transportation and crowd logistics
- Venue and event operations
- Public safety and security
- Infrastructure and utilities
- Tourism and visitor support
Occupations had to fall within at least one of these areas to qualify for inclusion and received one point for each area represented, creating an Operational Relevancy Score (1–5 scale).
Occupations were mapped to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook and filtered to include careers that do not typically require a bachelor’s degree and are projected to grow by at least 4% (above the national average of 3%) between 2024 and 2034. Mean salary data was pulled from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates.
Final rankings were calculated using a weighted composite score incorporating:
- Operational relevance (45%)
- Mean salary (35%)
- Projected growth rate (20%)
All variables were standardized before scoring to ensure comparability across metrics.
About Zety
Zety resume templates and Zety’s Resume and Cover Letter Generator are trusted by 12 million users each year. With 100s of options to choose from, including professionally designed resume templates to beat the ATS, users can create a professional resume in less than 15 minutes. Since 2016, Zety’s career blog has provided free data-driven insights to over 40 million readers annually, empowering professionals at every stage. The editorial team includes Certified Professional Resume Writers, with the best career advice and evidence-based findings featured in Business Insider, CNBC, and Forbes, among others. Follow Zety on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for free expert career tips and updates.
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