Alessia Commisso, a 23-year-old Mississauga native who is blind and uses a wheelchair due to a mitochondrial disease, received one of FIFA's Unsung Heroes Awards for her volunteer work at the FIFA World Cup in Toronto. The award, given to at least one volunteer in each of the 16 host cities, included tickets to the Croatia-Panama match on June 24, 2026.
Selected from 387,000 applicants
Commisso was among 5,000 volunteers chosen from 387,000 applications across Canada. She worked in hospitality at Toronto Stadium (BMO Field). “I really love sports and I’m also in school at Humber College right now for event management,” she said. “I was very nervous. I was excited at the same time. I kept refreshing my FIFA page every day.”
When she learned she was selected, Commisso said, “I was so happy. Like I can’t believe it. FIFA is like once in a lifetime. It’s not likely to be back in Toronto.”
Meeting with FIFA President
During the Croatia-Panama game, Commisso and her mother Sonia watched the first half from the VIP lounge behind the Panama bench. In the second half, they met FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the VVIP lounge. “I’m beyond words at that point because it was just such a day,” Commisso said. “At that point, I didn’t even know what to say anymore. But it was amazing.”
Sonia added, “He sat there and had a conversation with Alessia. I felt as if there was no one else in the room. Like he was focused on Alessia. There was a gentleness, a kindness, love and compassion, in that entire exchange where he started the conversation with, ‘Oh, my daughter’s name is Alessia as well.'”
Feeling included and valued
Commisso, who is accompanied by her mother due to her mobility and vision issues, said the experience made her feel like everyone else. “The FIFA staff when they speak to me, I know they’re speaking to me. They acknowledge me. Like, ‘Alessia do you need anything? Alessia, is everything okay?’ Usually I feel like ‘cause of my disability, people have a tendency to speak with my mother before they speak to me. So it makes me feel like I’m like everybody else.”
Sonia said, “Everyone throughout the day is, ‘Hello, Alessia! Hello Alessia!’ From a mother’s perspective, it’s so beautiful for me to see this. I just feel like the guests didn’t see her any different either. I love it because Alessia’s a human being just like everyone else, wanting to belong, wanting to be the same, but at the same time wanting to stand out. She’s standing out but blending in.”
