One of the world's biggest sporting events takes place in Massachusetts.
Foxboro's Gillette Stadium will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and there's a lot of excitement surrounding the announcement.
It's amazing that Gillette hosted seven World Cup matches, including the quarterfinals.
The five group stage games will be held in Foxboro from June 13th to June 26th.
As a side note, the U.S. men's team will play the group stage on the West Coast, but it is possible they will play in Foxboro in the final tournament. At that time, Gillette will host one Round of 32 match on June 29th and the big quarterfinal match on July 9th.
“We are very excited,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of MeatBoston. “We know Boston will be one of the best host cities out of all 16.”
This will be a huge boost to Foxboro tourism for existing hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the area. But it's also possible that the area will see some development over the next two years to accommodate fans who travel here from all over the world.
Organizers estimate this will bring hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.
“These games will bring extraordinary economic benefits to our city and state in terms of business and jobs,” said Boston Soccer 2026 Chairman Mike Roynd.
“FIFA often says that hosting one game is like hosting a Super Bowl. So imagine the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts actually hosting seven Super Bowls in a fairly short period of time. Try it,'' Sheridan said.
“This gives us an opportunity to bring the world to the people of Boston,” said Brian Bilello, president of the New England Revolution.
One mystery that remains is that organizers have said that Gillette's sign will say “Boston Stadium” at the World Cup. How it works is unknown.
Anyone wishing to watch the match in person can pre-register for tickets through the FIFA World Cup website.
