How a FIFA Broadcast Intern Programme taught Rachel Seah the value of collaboration and adaptability in broadcasting

For the summer term of 2026, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the FIFA Host Broadcast (HB) Intern Programme as a Commentary Control Room (CCR) Assistant! From June to July, I was employed to assist with the 7 FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches held at the Vancouver BC Place Stadium.

Along with 7 other CCR interns, we worked with 4 supervisors to handle the setup, sound testing, and takedown of commentary equipment before and after the matches. During the matches, it was our duty to stay on call in the Commentary Control Room or the media tribune in the stadium to troubleshoot any issues. We worked with international commentators to set up their commentary units in the media tribune, and depending on match popularity, we oversaw anywhere from 6 to 26 commentary units per game. Though there was a lot to learn, the technical knowledge I gained through IAT340 (Sound Design) and volunteering as a sound technician in my church allowed me an easier time with handling the new equipment.

Additionally, my supervisor tasked me with designing simple graphics on Figma for the CCR team’s daily report, sent out at the end of each match to update the HB team. Getting to use my experience with design classes like IAT238 (Foundations for Designing Interactions) was a treat.

Collaboration in Action
With the overwhelming operation of the World Cup involving many high stress moments and moving parts, I had the opportunity to improve my problem solving and adaptability skills. Entering the stadium on the first day was intimidating, as we had to quickly familiarize ourselves with employee access zones, new equipment, and the day-to-day routine. However, our supervisors made us feel welcome, showing us around the compound and explaining how the company culture was professional yet relaxed. After a tour, our supervisors wasted no time in teaching us how to operate the computers and commentary units we would be working with

Each CCR intern had different levels of knowledge about the broadcasting world. Volunteering as a sound technician at my church to host live musical worship and teaching gave me a basic understanding of technical terms and audio parameters. Though there were similarities with the physical commentary units that made it easy for me to use, some of the wireless software we worked with had unfamiliar troubleshooting processes.

For example, before each match day, we completed “end-to-end testing” for each commentary unit to diagnose unstable audio levels or connections. We tested microphones and headsets to ensure clear connections between overseas broadcasting studios, and checked that audio levels would be balanced on live feeds. There were many different monitoring settings that were initially difficult to distinguish. However, each CCR intern took turns testing either the computers or the commentary units during the end-to-end testing. If any of us forgot a specific function, we could turn to each other to ask for clarification. This active collaboration allowed each of us to be familiar with the equipment so we could recognize UI indicators, helping us narrow down most likely causes of error and how to fix them.

Commentators from TSN, Telemundo, FOX, BBC, and other international broadcasters would arrive at the media tribune on match day. We went in pairs to introduce ourselves and offer a simple explanation of the equipment, showing them how to contact us through the help button during the match if any issues arose.
Between the 8 CCR interns, half of us stayed on call during the matches to be able to receive help calls in the Commentary Control Room, while the other half stayed in the media tribune to provide on-the-ground help as needed. Interns in the media tribune carried a walkie talkie for easy communication, learning proper radio etiquette and how to troubleshoot issues on the spot.

Once, a commentator accidentally locked the settings of the commentary unit and could no longer view the volume levels for the connected microphones. When I was called over to help, my previous practice with resetting the units on pre-match days helped me quickly recognize what was wrong and change the unit back to normal. On the busiest match day, we had 26 commentary units running in the media tribune! The setup and live-match monitoring would have been overwhelming without our large team, and we learnt to rely on each other to communicate information and learn skills efficiently.

Lessons Learned
As I’ve been able to take a step into the world of live broadcasting, it’s allowed me to see how roles in the creative industry go beyond remote work or office jobs, differing from my previous co-op at an animation studio. Thanks to the collaborative community culture my supervisors fostered within the CCR office, I had the privilege of hearing many anecdotes from their career journeys. Many of them have worked with Live TV and event hosting, and among my supervisors, none of them were based in Canada, instead hailing from Portugal, Serbia, and Egypt. This co-op experience taught me the importance of adaptability in a job within the broadcasting industry. Being willing to relocate to different sites is a big aspect, as well as an affinity to work efficiently with many different personalities, cultures, and worldviews.

Regarding my field, though it wasn’t the main task I was in charge of, I was able to show my supervisors my design and illustration work. They then gave me the opportunity to create end of day graphics for the CCR team. One of my supervisors even runs a technological business in his hometown, and he indicated the possibility of collaborating with his team for a future design project. This connection proved the importance of networking and taking initiative in conversations, which I was initially very apprehensive towards. The comfortable environment in the CCR office gave me the space to share my excitement for design!

Personally, I was able to improve my workplace professionalism, always arriving punctually to work within the 9-5 schedule and taking initiative to ask for tasks to complete during the slower hours. As an intern, my supervisors didn’t always have specific tasks for me to carry out, so I learnt to shadow them as they completed tasks around the stadium and ask questions when appropriate. Though the constant movement around the stadium was physically tiring, I found that I much enjoyed the on-site work environment. I found it fulfilling to work with a large team of people in person and complete hands-on tasks, even the simple ones.

As I reflect, I am thankful for the chance to learn more about a new branch of industry in the creative tech world, as well as expanding my resume with an irreplaceable learning opportunity.