Local officials in Foxborough, Massachusetts are seriously considering moving the upcoming FIFA World Cup games out of their city. Although the idea sounds ridiculous, they have good reason to consider such a bold decision.
Many American fans feel that there is no bigger sporting event in the world than the Super Bowl. However, this is because they do not realize the international interest in football (or soccer) and the national pride that comes with the World Cup every four years.
It is one of the few truly global events, and there is no better proof of its popularity than the fact that almost 1.5 billion people watched the 2022 final between Argentina and France. It’s the Super Bowl on steroids, and it’s so big that this massive tournament is expanding across North America in June.
One of the venues hosting seven games this year is Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA, home of the New England Patriots. Getting a World Cup game is a huge win for the local economy. However, it is also a very expensive undertaking.
That’s why the Foxboro Select Board requested $7.7 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover public safety costs when 450,000 people are expected to move into town in a few months. However, they have not received those funds yet and have been set a deadline of March 17 to receive them, otherwise.
Funding shortage could force Foxboro to move World Cup games out of town
“The grant application that we applied for – approximately $7.7 million – will likely not be fully funded,” Select Board Chairman Bill Yukna said during a board meeting this week. “However, the city stands behind the $7.7 million request for both manpower and some capital in expense items, and if those are not met, the licenses will not be granted.”
The entertainment licenses he is referring to are the entertainment licenses the board must approve for the Boston Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to manage and plan seven World Cup games in June. Therefore, if the Foxboro Select Board does not receive the necessary funds to adequately host games, it will not approve a license to hold matches at Gillette Stadium.
This would leave FIFA and the organizers of the games in the United States in a very difficult position in finding another stadium suitable to hold such large games in a short period of time.
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