World Cup security update: Foxboro "shocked and dismayed" by Kraft Group's latest statement on funding
The town of Foxboro, Massachusetts said it is "shocked and dismayed" by the most recent statement from the Kraft Sports Group about the FIFA World Cup security funding.
Seven matches are set to be played at Gillette Stadium, known as Boston Stadium, starting June 13. The conflict between Foxboro, FIFA and Boston 2026, the local partner for FIFA, has been ongoing for several months. The town insists that FIFA and Boston 26 pay the $7.8 security bill upfront ahead of the matches, but the organizations have said that they will reimburse the town, or that the equipment they need for security will be available by June 1.
The attorney for Boston 2026 said that if the federal funding fell through, both the Kraft Sports Group and Boston 2026 would help cover the bill within two days of the event ending.
But the town called that "unacceptable" and continued to refuse to front the cash.
In a statement on Thursday evening, a spokesperson for Gillette Stadium said that they had met with Foxboro representatives about their concerns and are "committed to financially ensuring the town's needs are met for security-related costs."
"...Both by financially supporting the anticipated funds Boston Soccer 2026 expects to award Foxborough through the federal FIFA World Cup Grant program and by providing financial and logistical support for additional capital expenditures," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Unlike games and concerts, World Cup matches are not revenue generating events for the stadium, but they do generate a significant amount of tourism and visibility for the state."
Foxboro responded on Friday, saying that any statement that a funding agreement had been reached was "categorically false."
"While the total cost for such services is a microscopic fraction of the revenue that the events will generate, the Town has been met, at every turn, with resistance from the Kraft Group and other event organizers. That such entities may have miscalculated the cost of hosting the World Cup is not a reason to compromise on event security. The Town cannot and will not finance the Kraft Group's losses by sacrificing public safety," Foxboro said.
The Kraft Group said that at no point had they claimed to reach an agreement with Foxboro.
"Throughout this process, despite not being the license applicant or the host committee, the Kraft Group's only objective has been to move forward positively to get to a 'yes' on an agreement with the Town. We have made every good faith effort to ask the Town to explain their concerns, and to understand and address them," the Kraft Group said in a statement on Friday. "When they had a liquidity issue, we solved it. When they asked for equipment, we supported it. We are deeply disappointed that the town has seemingly reached a conclusion unilaterally without the platform of a public hearing which is already scheduled for March 17 and would like to understand what the town requires at this stage to get to 'yes."
The World Cup matches remain less than 100 days away and the deadline for the entertainment license for a friendly match later this month between Brazil and France at the stadium is March 17.
