UofL alumnus Peter Kakaletris helps prepare world’s biggest stage for FIFA World Cup 26

When millions of fans tune in for the FIFA World Cup 26, they’ll see the action on the pitch. Behind the scenes, however, University of Louisville graduate Peter Kakaletris ’25 is helping ensure the tournament runs smoothly.

Kakaletris, who earned a bachelor of science in sports administration from the College of Education and Human Development in 2025, serves as a senior coordinator on FIFA World Cup 26’s client group management accreditation team. His work focuses on making sure the right people receive the access they need to perform their roles throughout the tournament, whether that’s reviewing accreditation requirements, supporting access planning, coordinating venue teams or helping develop the systems and processes that will be used during the tournament.

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Kakaletris’s path to FIFA began long before graduation. While attending UofL, he gained experience through UofL Recreation and Wellness, volunteered at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany, completed an internship with the United Soccer League and built professional connections that ultimately led to his opportunity with FIFA.

He credits UofL’s sport administration program with preparing him for a career on the global stage.

“The sport administration program gave me a great foundation for understanding how the sports industry works while helping me build important skills like leadership, communication and problem-solving,” Kakaletris said. “What really stood out to me at UofL was how much the professors cared about helping students succeed.”

One of his most memorable experiences came while supporting accreditation operations at Hard Rock Stadium before the opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where he worked long days helping manage a high volume of accreditation requests from around the world.

Looking back, Kakaletris said UofL gave him more than technical knowledge.

“UofL gave me both the education and the confidence to pursue opportunities that once seemed out of reach,” he said. “The program encouraged students to think beyond their immediate surroundings and pursue ambitious goals.”

His advice for students hoping to follow a similar path is simple: Take advantage of every opportunity, build meaningful relationships and gain experience wherever possible. “The relationships you build and the experience you gain are often just as valuable, if not more valuable, than what you learn in the classroom,” he said.