Town officials in Foxborough, Massachusetts, are seeking clarity on the source of around $8 million they say is needed to fund public safety for this summer’s World Cup games at Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots.
Foxborough town manager Paige Duncan told ESPN the town is committed to hosting the global soccer tournament but needs clarification on funding by mid-March in order to grant FIFA the license required to hold the event.
“Without a satisfactory resolution of this issue, the Town will not be able to act favorably on your application and finalize licensing, and the seven matches proposed to take place in Foxborough would therefore be at risk,” Duncan wrote in a letter sent to the organizers in early January, which ESPN reviewed.
Julie Duffy, chief marketing and communications officer for FIFA World Cup Boston 2026, told ESPN in a statement: “We are working closely with FIFA, the stadium and the town of Foxborough to reach an agreement.”
FIFA directed ESPN to Duffy and declined further comment.
The federal government has earmarked $625 million for the U.S.’s 11 host cities “to enhance security and preparedness,” but it is unclear how much Foxborough will receive. Town officials say they cannot front taxpayer money now and wait to be reimbursed later.
“While grant funding or reimbursement through third parties may ultimately be available, the Town cannot rely on speculative or downstream funding when making staffing and deployment decisions,” Duncan wrote in the January letter.
“It just doesn’t work that way,” Duncan told ESPN, adding that Foxborough is a small town where residents vote on budget matters at semiannual town meetings.
Duncan said the $8 million would cover the Foxborough police, who handle law enforcement in and around Gillette Stadium. The stadium is owned by The Kraft Group, headed by Patriots owner Robert Kraft, but the town owns the land on which it sits and grants the Krafts the same license for NFL games that FIFA is now requesting.
According to Duncan, FIFA representatives are scheduled to attend a town hall meeting in Foxborough on Feb. 17. She said that the town has set a deadline of March 17 for granting the license. The money matters will need to be clarified by then.
“If nobody gives money, there’s no World Cup in Foxborough,” Duncan said.
“My ultimate goal is for this to work out so that Foxborough can host the World Cup as planned,” Duncan added. “We are committed to collaboration, careful planning and public safety, but the significant costs associated with hosting the World Cup cannot fall on local taxpayers.”
Gillette Stadium is set to host its first game of the World Cup on June 13, when Scotland takes on Haiti. It is also scheduled to be the venue for two knockout games, including a quarterfinal on July 9.
