Foxboro threatens to cancel FIFA World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium if it doesn't get security money
Foxboro, Massachusetts is doubling down on its threat to cancel the FIFA World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium if it does not receive the security money needed to host the event.
Seven games are set to be played at the stadium, called Boston Stadium for the tournament, including a quarter-final match. They are scheduled to start on June 13 and end in July. The town can't afford to front the $7.8 million needed for security and wait to be reimbursed later.
"It's the equivalent of seven Super Bowls here and 39 days of coverage. Which is not small and not to be lost. We have to secure that facility for 39 days straight," said Bill Yukna, a member of the town's select board.
The board met Tuesday night to try and get an answer about the funding for security. The Boston Globe reported that the town was supposed to get an answer about the funding on January 30.
Withholding an essential license
During the meeting, the town said that major safety equipment still needs to be ordered, and that their fiscal calendar ends in the middle of the games. The board explained that it will withhold the essential entertainment license until they are reimbursed several million dollars.
"The money has to be here. Everyone thinks we have a football stadium in this town. But with that being said we're a small town. We have 18,000 people," said select board member Stephanie McGowan.
"It comes down to sounding like Foxboro is being the bad guys here, but we really aren't. All we're trying to do is protect our citizens," Yukna said.
Leadership for the games said that grant funding will cover the costs.
"The White House task force is working on a daily basis to work with DHS and FEMA on that. I don't think I can say anything more about that. We're being told it's expected any day now," said Boston 2026 Host Committee Chair Mike Loynd.
Homeland Security is currently shut down due to government funding that lapsed on Saturday. It's unclear if that will have an impact on when the town can expect its own funding.
FIFA officials deferred any questions about funding to the Boston Host Committee. When WBZ-TV asked the officials about the funding Tuesday evening, they said they were late to dinner.
The town wasn't happy that the meeting ended without a solid answer.
"I'm shocked you're not sitting here in front of us right now saying 'We've got the money for you,'" said select board member Mark Elfman.
March 17 is the deadline for the entertainment license.
Healey responds
Asked by reporters about Foxboro's stance on Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey said she's confident "that this will all get sorted out" while acknowledging "there's going to be a lot of burden on local folks."
"We just gotta make sure that expenses are taken care of because cities are towns are already burdened enough," Healey said.
However, the governor said she has no doubts that the matches will happen as scheduled at Gillette Stadium.
"This is going to go forward. It's gonna be great," she said.
The Foxboro Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police were awarded a collective $11 million in grant funding to protect against "malicious drone activity" during the games and American 250 events.