The FIFA World Cup is the largest global sports tournament. Since 1930, the games have been hosted in locations around the world, this year marking the first World Cup to take place across three host countries.
Houston and Dallas are just two of 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico awaiting crowds of tourists and players from teams like England, Jordan, Argentina, Portugal and Uzbekistan — and the stakes are high. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to generate $41 billion to global GDP, with a revenue upwards of $17 billion projected for the U.S.
A success like FIFA doesn’t happen overnight — so who’s working the late shifts?
Meet Brandon Nimmers, Chaundra Frank and Josh Obregon, three Rice Online MBAs who are helping ensure the 2026 FIFA World Cup runs smoothly. In this conversation, they shared what goes on behind the scenes, how they landed roles with one of the world’s largest sporting organizations, and advice for prospective students who are aiming just as high.
How Brandon Nimmers Scored a Role with FIFA
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Brandon Nimmers at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in Charlotte, NC.
By the time Brandon Nimmers ’27 was 24 years old, he had already gained experience working with multiple NBA organizations, colleges, and even a youth sports program as the director of operations. He even pursued an M.Ed. in Sports Management.
Yet he didn’t always receive the recognition he worked for, and he found himself stuck behind the perception of being “too young” or “not experienced enough” in his career. For Brandon Nimmers pursuing an Online MBA at Rice Business was a deliberate step toward breaking those barriers.
“Despite my experiences, I often felt limited by perceptions around my age and identity,” Brandon reflects. “A Rice MBA would both strengthen my credibility within sports while expanding my overall business knowledge and also open doors if I ever decided to pivot beyond sports.”
Out of all the highly ranked programs he looked at, Rice stood out for a heartwarming reason: it felt like home.
“During the application process, the support and engagement from the Rice Business admissions team felt personal and intentional,” Brandon says. “That made a lasting impression.”
That culture stuck with him. When Brandon landed his role as a venue logistics manager for FIFA, he found himself tasked with overseeing logistics across roughly 40 venues and keeping 80 different operational areas moving in harmony.
He quickly realized he needed a team he could trust and instinctively turned to his network of Rice Owls.
Chaundra Frank, a Houston native who attended Rice for her undergraduate degree, began her career in finance before entering operations and leadership roles for local sports organizations. After posting a job listing on LinkedIn, Brandon saw her profile and reached out to encourage her to apply.
“The MBA@Rice network is what made the opportunity visible to me,” Chaundra says. “It cracked the door open, and my resume walked through it.”
Around the same time, Josh Obregon discovered a job opening through conversations within the Rice network. As a U.S. Navy veteran with deep expertise in operations, logistics, and an ability to execute under pressure, Josh felt more than prepared to take on a new challenge with the world’s largest sporting event.
“Soccer was my first passion,” says Josh. “This role allows me to reconnect with that — contributing behind the scenes to an event that once defined my personal goals.”
For Brandon, bringing Chaundra and Josh on board was an easy decision based on experience, discipline and trust. It also certainly didn’t hurt that they were both fellow Rice MBA students. “There’s an unspoken connection between Rice MBAs, because you understand the sacrifice, discipline and hard work it takes to complete the program,” says Brandon.
It’s a full-circle opportunity to apply my Rice foundation to a global stage and be part of something that brings the world together.
Chaundra Frank
MBA@Rice Alumna
Inside the Playbook
To the average fan, stadium logistics are invisible. For Brandon, Chaundra and Josh, it means translating grand plans into comfort, both ahead of time and the second before kickoff.
Chaundra and Josh serve as deputy venue logistics managers supporting world cup operations at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX — which is set to host nine matches, including a semi-final.
“Fans see the match, the atmosphere and the final product on television, but they don’t see the thousands of operational details,” Brandon says. “No one thinks about the 4,000 folding chairs that have to be delivered and placed throughout a stadium, or delivery schedules planned down to the minute.”
“One thing most people don’t realize is how tight the margins are,” says Chaundra. “We’re managing more than 350 pallets of equipment and coordinating 18 trucks during a short build window — navigating within limited storage space and strict security protocols. There’s no room for delays.”
At this scale, logistics is less about movement and more about sequencing, communication and execution discipline under pressure.
Josh Obregon
MBA@Rice Alumnus
From an MBA Classroom to a FIFA Stadium
How does a top-ranked graduate business education prepare you to handle millions of eyes and billions of dollars in infrastructure? For this team, the answer lies in the analytical rigor and executive presence built into the Rice MBA curriculum.
Here are three more lessons Brandon, Chaundra and Josh learned in the Rice MBA program.
Operational Modeling
Brandon credits foundational courses like Process Management and Quality Improvement for his ability to handle chaotic variables. “It helped me better understand how to break down operational challenges into measurable systems and identify where improvements can be made,” he explains.
“The program has also expanded my network and confidence as a leader through roles with the Consulting Club and the Rice Entertainment, Sports & Media Association.”
Strategic Versatility
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The FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.
For Josh, the Rice MBA helped bridge and adapt his military experience for roles in operational leadership, large-scale execution and measurable impact.
“Rice strengthened my ability to think strategically, communicate effectively and connect operational decisions to broader business outcomes. The program helped elevate my perspective from execution-focused to enterprise-focused.”
Bold Authenticity
On top of entering a tight-knit support network, Chaundra found that the online nature of the MBA@Rice prepared her for a global, modern corporate environment. “This role actually started in a fully virtual environment, so a big part of my experience was learning how to build relationships, communicate effectively and establish trust remotely. Rice helped me be bold, be authentic, and trust that I have the skills to succeed.”
Confidently Driving the Play Forward
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, the Rice community can look at the pitch with an extra layer of pride, knowing that Rice Owls like Brandon, Chaundra and Frank are bringing the field to life.
If you’re looking to sharpen your leadership skills, business acumen and network without putting your career on pause, a Rice MBA for working professionals might be just what you need.
For Bodie Gilbert ’26 and team, the Rice Global Field Experience (GFE) project culminated in a go-to-market strategy so impactful it helped land the client in the pages of Forbes Brasil.
Wondering how earning an MBA will affect your earning potential? Read about how the degree can grow your skills and salary immediately and long after graduation.
