Helpers are needed for a wide range of tasks, including greeting visitors at Dunedin International Airport, and working as drivers and media assistants.
Dame Lois, who has already volunteered to help, said volunteers had a key role to play in ensuring the World Cup games were successful.
Volunteers would also highlight the traditionally friendly approach taken by Dunedin people towards visitors.
Hosting the games would be "marvellous for our city", and her message to prospective volunteers was to "be part of it".
Volunteers can indicate their interest and areas of expertise via the internet or visit a "registration station" which has been set up on the first floor of the Dunedin City Library.
Dunedin City Council World Cup co-ordinator Kim Newman said there had been a good response from Dunedin people, but offers to help had been made directly to World Cup national organisers and no detailed city figures were available.
Several hundred volunteers were needed in Dunedin.
Applications closed next Friday, she said.
• Dunedin will host three matches: Scotland v Georgia (September 14), and England v either Uruguay or Romania (September 24) Ireland v Italy (October 2) .
