Meet Hector Arenas, Venue Operations Manager at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Monterrey.
Back home in Mexico, he'd built a solid career as an industrial engineer with an MBA, ten years of experience, and a general manager role at a lending company, complete with the apartment, the car and the stable life. Then COVID hit, and he and his wife made a decision to leave their comfort zone and chase their dream. In July 2023, they moved to Australia so Hector could study a Master Of Business (Sport Management) at Deakin University.
Four months later, on a tip from his university mentor, he landed a three-month casual events contract at Melbourne Park, and turned it into three straight Australian Opens. From there, he applied cold to FIFA, got knocked back once for being \"not experienced enough,\" then came back a year later to win a Venue Operations Manager role at Estadio Monterrey, delivering matches at the biggest event on the planet in his home country.
Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to break into sport when you've got zero industry network in a new country, why \"say yes to everything\" opened every door, and how the engineering discipline of doing more with less transferred straight into running a World Cup venue.
We cover:
(03:13) - Interview starts
(09:26) - Quick Fire Questions
(08:08) - What Hector's career looked like prior to moving to Australia
(20:31) - Opportunities to work in sport in Mexico
(22:14) - The decision behind moving from Mexico to Australia
(25:31) - What skills from Hector's engineering career were transferable to the sport industry
(27:05) - Hector's first role in sport at the Australian Open
(31:21) - Favourite moment working at the Australian Open
(33:44) - How Hector joined SportsGrad
(37:14) - How networking has helped Hector's career
(39:48) - How to build your network when you arrive in a country for the first time
(40:48) - How Hector found his role at the FIFA World Cup
(45:14) - Hector's journey from watching Mexico at the FIFA World Cup in 2022 to working at the 2026 World Cup
(46:47) - What a match day in Hector's role looked like
(55:51) - Favourite moments working at the FIFA World Cup
(01:07:33) - How to land a role in sport events and operations in the next 30 days
(01:08:45) - Biggest Pinch Me moment working in sport
(01:13:49) - What life would look like if not a career in sport
(01:14:48) - Hector's question for next guest
If you liked this ep, give these a go next:
#356: Career journey of FIFA World Cup Commentator David Basheer
#357: From International Student to Major League Soccer with Adam Ferreira (Vancouver Whitecaps)
#358: Sports Marketing in the Premier League and the MLS with Sunny Dhillon (Seattle Sounders)
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Thanks for listening, much love!
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