Tour de France Volunteer Call Opens for Edinburgh
A nationwide call has opened for 9,000 volunteers to help deliver the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grand Départs, with Edinburgh hosting the start of Stage 1.
Applications opened on Wednesday 27 May 2026 and will stay open until Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Edinburgh locals can now apply to volunteer at the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ, with organisers looking for thousands of people to support the races across Scotland, England and Wales.
The volunteer team will be known as JOY Makers. Roles are open to people aged 16 and over, and no previous volunteering experience is needed.
Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Event | Tour de France Grand Départ 2027 |
| Edinburgh date | Friday 2 July 2027 |
| Route | Edinburgh to Carlisle |
| Stage distance | 184km |
| Volunteer name | JOY Makers |
| Applications opened | Wednesday 27 May 2026 |
| Deadline to apply | Tuesday 1 September 2026 |
| Age requirement | 16+ by 1 April 2027 |
| Experience needed | None, full training provided |
| Apply | Official Grand Départ GB volunteer portal |
What Volunteers Will Do
Volunteers will help with the practical running of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes stages in Britain.
The official roles include:
- Race delivery, including route and crossing point support
- Spectator support, including wayfinding and welcome points
- Event operations, including behind-the-scenes help before and during the event
Organisers say volunteers only need to commit to at least one day of the event. Training will be provided before race day.
Who Can Apply?
You can apply if you’ll be aged 16 or over by 1 April 2027.
The volunteer programme is open to first-time volunteers as well as people who have helped at major events before. Some roles will require volunteers to be 18 or over, but there will still be options for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Applicants need to be willing to complete training and must have the right to work in the UK. Some roles may also need a security risk assessment.
A separate Readiness to Work programme will be available for people aged 18 to 25. That will include employability skills training and mentoring alongside the volunteering role.
Why Edinburgh Is Involved
Edinburgh will host the start of Stage 1 of the 2027 Tour de France on Friday 2 July 2027.
The opening stage will run from Edinburgh to Carlisle over 184km, taking the race through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders before crossing into England.
The build-up in Edinburgh starts earlier in the week. The race headquarters and press centre are due to open at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Tuesday 29 June, with the Tour de France teams presented at Edinburgh Castle on Wednesday 30 June.
It will be the first time the Tour de France peloton starts the race in Scotland.
How To Apply
Applications are open through the official Grand Départ GB volunteer portal.
The application window runs from Wednesday 27 May to Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Why It Matters Locally
This is the kind of major event that will put Edinburgh in front of a huge international audience.
There will be road closures and crowd planning closer to the time, but the volunteer call is the first practical step for locals who want to be involved rather than just watch from the roadside.
For cycling fans, it’s an obvious one. For students, young workers, hospitality staff, event workers, and anyone looking for major-event experience, it could also be useful on a CV.
Our Take
This is worth knowing about now because the application window is open months before most people will start thinking about the race itself.
Edinburgh will get the headlines when the Tour arrives in 2027, but events at this scale need local people long before race day. If you fancy helping visitors, seeing the operation from the inside, or just being part of a rare sporting moment in the city, this is the route in.