Boston to coordinate security for World Cup, Sail Boston at Seaport command center
Boston is setting up a special events command center in the Seaport to help coordinate security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Sail Boston.
Mayor Michelle Wu said Thursday that Boston Police, Fire, and EMS will share resources at the center on Channel Street. The hub will be fully active on World Cup match days. It will also be used for the Tall Ships return to Boston and America 250 celebrations this summer. The events are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city.
"We are ready to welcome the world," Wu said. "There will be a lot of people coming from a lot of different places around the world this summer. But in some ways it's not that different from the Boston Marathon and what happens every single year in Boston."
Wu said they've been preparing for the World Cup for years. The center was tested during this year's marathon and received positive feedback from agencies.
"It's just important to have everyone in the same room and to have spaces where we can make decisions, to manage and react to and preempt any of the little things that might pop up," Wu said. "We're counting down now."
The center can coordinate emergency messages and responses in multiple languages, if needed. Boston Public Health will also track the city's wastewater for any potential infectious diseases.
The center is working with Boston bars to help keep visitors safe, and they're talking with large fan groups, like Scotland's Tartan Army, which is planning to march from the Back Bay to Fenway Park on Sunday, June 14.
There will still be outposts across Boston to assist with security and the influx of people. Boston EMS will be stationed at City Hall Plaza for the FIFA Fan Festival and South Station where the Boston Stadium trains will depart to head to the World Cup matches.
City officials ask that anyone coming into the city use public transportation and leave their drones at home. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox wants visitors to be alert.
"If you see something, say something," he told reporters Thursday.
"We will have a large police presence throughout all of the events," Cox said. "Officers will be both in plain clothes and in uniform to provide guidance and protection for the public."
Anyone with questions can call 311 or use the 311 app.
