As Canada co-hosted the FIFA Men’s World Cup for the first time in history this summer, Niagara College Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) students and alumni scored a front row seat to the action in Toronto.
FIFA Toronto spoke to second and third year students in NC’s Television Production program.
Third-year students Brendan Beilman and Kenzie Kehoe, along with recent graduates Spencer Bulyaki (2026) and Noah Vogel (BRTF, 2025; Social Media Management, 2026), flexed their skills to help broadcast the world’s largest sporting event to soccer fans across the country and around the globe.
With a strong reputation for preparing graduates for a wide range of roles in the industry and a proven track record covering major local, national and international sporting events, the BRTF program was approached by FIFA last fall to share paid opportunities offered through the FIFA Host Broadcast Intern Programme.
Professor Peter ‘Dutch’ VandenBerg jumped on the request, arranging a presentation in his class with FIFA Toronto and second- and third-year Television Production students.
“I was very proud that BRTF was recognized to supply capable students for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” said VandenBerg. “This was the premier pinnacle event for this year and FIFA standards are very strict. Our crew very much excelled with their NC training.”
Covering the pitch
The group covered all six games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted at Toronto Stadium through June and July.
Bulyaki, a Kitchener native, was hired as a 360 Ingest Operator. He was responsible for receiving footage from the 360 Camera Operator and editing, organizing and uploading the content to the cloud.
Spencer Bulyaki
“Fortunately for me, the 360 Camera Operator was only scheduled for the first and last matches in Toronto. For the four games in between, I stepped into the role of both 360 Camera Operator & Ingest Operator,” he said.
Bulyaki spent the mornings and afternoons capturing fan marches through downtown Toronto before filming supporters in the fan zone as they cheered on their teams and participated in activities outside the stadium. He also covered fan marches for Panama, Ghana, Croatia, Senegal, Germany, and Iraq.
“Being part of the biggest sporting event in the world was an incredible experience,” he said. “Knowing I contributed to the tournament and that footage I captured has been shared by FIFA is something I’m very proud of.”
At NC, Bulyaki worked on the Minto Cup in St. Catharines, operating a handheld camera for both championship games, and covered the Para Games at Canada Games Park, operating the tight camera for the sledge hockey competition. The events gave Bulyaki valuable live broadcast experience and helped prepare him for opportunities like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Those experiences not only build your resume; they build your confidence and prepare you for the industry,” he said.
Kehoe, a member of the BRTF crew that covered the 2026 Dodgeball Ontario Provincial Championships earlier this year, landed a role as IT Assistant with FIFA Toronto.
Kenzie Kehoe
“Learning to troubleshoot and knowing what to check first is more challenging than people realize when it comes to technology,” said the Pelham native. “In class we were taught to always check for the simplest thing first… if that doesn’t work, then you continue up the ladder of possibilities.”
The opportunity to join the FIFA Host Broadcast team was an experience Kehoe will never forget.
“A key takeaway from my experience is the absolute amazement I felt watching a team come together to pull off such a feat,” she said. “The level of teamwork and cooperation is something I look forward to putting to use in my personal development.”
Brendan Beilman
Beilman and Vogel were Commentary Control Room (CCR) Assistants. They supported commentators from different radio and television stations worldwide, setting up and testing commentary units and troubleshooting issues that arose during the broadcasts.
The role also involved coordinating signals with the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Dallas, where all 16 stadiums’ broadcast signals were routed to before being sent around the globe.
“The skills I learned from doing mobile productions with Niagara College were very similar to what we did during the World Cup,” said Beilman, an Edmonton native who previously covered the Ontario Parasport Games, the Minto Cup and the Boccia Nationals through his program. “Dutch would stress the importance of proper testing before each broadcast and this attention to detail is the same process the pros do.”
Beilman was impressed by the stadium’s vibrant atmosphere, noting it was “something special to be a part of,” and made new connections with people in the industry.
“Our team had people from all over the world working together, and it was fun to learn about their home countries and see them experience what Canada/Toronto has to offer,” he said. “They were all exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable people who I am fortunate to have learned from.”
Noah Vogel
With an interest in sports commentary, the CCR Assistant role was a fitting post for Vogel, who, as a student, covered Knights varsity events and other major competitions to help build his skills as a sports commentator and analyst.
“A standout moment for me was getting to interact with commentators that I have listened to for a long time growing up, many being my idols,” he said. “As an aspiring sports commentator, being able to interact with these industry professionals allowed me to learn helpful tips that I can take to my own future work.”
The Waterdown native and former Knights student-athlete encourages students to work hard and get involved wherever they can.
“I cannot recommend to students enough to get involved as early as possible, beginning with doing strong work in first year that will help you stand out to professors who have helped so many students get amazing opportunities in the industry,” said Vogel.
Experiential learning opportunities are a hallmark of NC and the BRTF program, allowing students to directly apply their training to real-world settings.
“All events, big and small, that we participate in are the gateway to where these grads want to eventually work,” said VandenBerg. “This FIFA group is quite the envy of their peers and a lot of our grads. I am extremely proud of how well they represented NC and BRTF.”
