Town officials in Foxborough, Massachusetts, are refusing to grant an entertainment license for Gillette Stadium to host seven FIFA World Cup 2026 matches until $7.8 million in public safety costs are secured. The delay stems from uncertainties over federal funding and responsibilities among FIFA, the local host committee, and stadium owners. This issue highlights broader financial and logistical challenges facing US host cities for the tournament.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is scheduled to host seven matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026, including group-stage games involving Scotland, England against Ghana, Norway against France, and a quarterfinal. However, the town's select board has withheld the required municipal entertainment license due to a lack of firm commitments for covering approximately $7.8 million in public safety expenses, primarily for police and security during the 39-day tournament period.
Select board members, including Dr. Mark Elfman and vice-chair Stephanie McGowan, expressed frustration at a mid-February meeting with representatives from the Boston 2026 host committee and FIFA. Elfman stated, "I am flabbergasted, I’m just p***ed," highlighting the board's bafflement over unclear funding sources. McGowan emphasized, "We’re not prepared to issue this license unless everything is in place," noting that the costs represent nearly 10 percent of the town's annual budget and that taxpayers cannot bear the risk.
The funding dispute involves multiple parties. Federal allocations of $625 million for security across 11 US host cities, including $46 million for Boston, are administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but delays arise from a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. The Boston host committee, led by CEO Mike Loynd, claims joint responsibility for public safety, while FIFA's venue operations director Kevin Clark deferred to agreements between the host committee and the Kraft Group, owners of Gillette Stadium.
Foxborough has set a March 17, 2026, deadline for resolving the issue, ahead of the stadium's first match on June 13, 2026, between Scotland and Haiti. Chief Marketing Officer Julie Duffy for the Boston host committee said, "All key stakeholders are collaboratively engaged... and we remain confident we’ll reach a positive outcome." Broader concerns among US host cities include a funding freeze impacting planning, as noted in a February 24 congressional hearing, with Miami's COO Ray Martinez warning that delays could be "catastrophic."
This local standoff reflects wider challenges for the expanded 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, where host cities bear significant security costs while FIFA retains most revenues.
