Alumni leading at FIFA World Cup 2026 | FIU News

Christine Archilla ‘13

Fútbol runs in Christine Archilla’s blood. “My family is from Argentina,” she says. “Watching or playing fútbol is like a rite of passage. I’ve been a big fan for years.”

When she heard the FIFA World Cup was coming to Miami, Archilla, an event management maven, told herself she would find a way to be involved.

Today, she is the hospitality infrastructure manager for the FIFA World Cup. She is responsible for ensuring the infrastructure for all hospitality spaces across the stadiums will meet the needs of fans, guests and more.

“We’re mostly using American football fields and converting them to meet the needs of fútbol games,” Archilla says.

The viewing patterns, seating preferences and even kitchen requirements vary widely from American football to international fútbol. For instance, most football stadiums are equipped to allow for the sale of hotdogs and soda. But soccer fans come from all over the world, and food must cater to their needs and cultures.

“For example, we have Middle Eastern countries playing during the tournament,” Archilla says. “We need to accommodate for different allergens or restrictions. If guests are eating Halal, it needs to be available for anyone that is attending. We need to make sure the infrastructure provides for those needs. If we need an additional temporary kitchen or if we need another lounge area, we have to build it out and work with our suppliers to do that.”

Come game day, Archilla will be stepping into yet another role: she will be the hospitality venue manager at the Hard Rock Stadium. “My favorite thing about working an event is being on site,” Archilla says. “That’s what motivates me and excites me. I can’t wait to be there when the games start.”

As a hospitality and tourism management student at FIU, Archilla volunteered at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® and interned at Viacom International Media Network with brands like MTV and VH1.

She went on to build an impressive career. She has worked at the Miami Film Festival, Live Arts Miami, the Museum of Art and Design and, most recently, at the Miami Book Fair, where she planned marketing campaigns and was involved in managing various of the fair’s events.

She has also worked at film festivals in New York and Los Angeles. She spent several months planning brand events — like a launch for Audi — in Panama and working for Dior in Mexico. She has been working at FIFA since last year.

“I’m very fortunate with how my trajectory has progressed,” Archilla says. “FIU has been a very big part of where I am today. Working at SOBEWFF blew my mind. I had a blast. From there, my experience in events kept going, and I’m here today.”