Overview
- Boston Soccer 2026, backed by Kraft Sports + Entertainment, will advance security-related expenses so the Town of Foxborough bears no World Cup costs, according to a joint statement.
- The agreement ends a licensing standoff over roughly $7.8–$8 million in public-safety funding that had threatened approvals for the event.
- Foxborough’s Select Board is now expected to consider and likely approve the FIFA event license at a March 17 hearing, the town’s chair said.
- Seven matches are scheduled at Gillette Stadium, including England vs. Ghana on June 23, Norway vs. France on June 26, a round-of-32 match on June 29, and a quarterfinal on July 9.
- Federal security grants authorized by Congress—about $46 million earmarked for Massachusetts—have not yet been distributed, and a Boston Globe editorial highlights ongoing gaps in host-committee fundraising, the Fan Festival’s scope, and transportation capacity.