‘Vamos Boston!’: Boston.com readers react to the World Cup coming to Gillette
"I can’t see anything but positives and a great opportunity."
The World Cup is coming to Boston in 2026 and, some minor skepticism aside, Boston.com readers are very excited to have soccer’s biggest event come to our neck of the woods.
Last week, FIFA judges announced that games will be played at Gillette Stadium, which will reportedly be refitted with natural grass instead of turf ahead of the big event. The last time Boston was a host city for the World Cup was in 1994.
After the announcement about the upcoming tournament, we asked Boston.com readers if they thought the city was ready to take on the games once again. While some worry about what the influx of international soccer fans will bring to Boston roads, a majority of the 275 readers who responded to our poll said Boston is a great fit for the World Cup.
Steve from Dedham said the city can handle any sporting event that comes our way.
“No different than any other event like the Marathon, Head of Charles, NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA games,” he said. “Why not? If we could do it in ’94, why not again?”
Several of the readers who weren’t too thrilled about FIFA’s announcement wanted to make one point of clarification: Foxborough isn’t Boston.
“Boston is a great host city, but Foxborough is not Boston,” said Aaron from Cambridge. “Foxborough is not a good host city for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it is not a city and has nothing to do with Boston. Part of the appeal of Sox, Celts, and Bruins is the city. Gillette Stadium and its nondescript strip mall is a sad representation of what the region actually has to offer; the stadium could be in Oklahoma and it would feel the same.”
While the games will be played in Gilette Stadium, Boston plans to hold fan fest events in the city. FIFA picked its host cities in part based on the ability to handle the kinds of crowds the games will no doubt produce.
“We’re proud of our long legacy of championship teams and fans, and we’re ready to showcase our city to soccer fans around the world as they come to celebrate the beautiful game,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a press release about the announcement.
Many of the readers who responded to our poll described themselves as huge fans of the sport and said they’re excited for the many communities in the Boston area who will get to experience the games in their own backyards.
“We were a great host in ’94 and are an even better candidate now with our successes in every major sport since then,” said Conor from South Boston. “Boston is also a great melting pot so you know the atmosphere will be unreal if Italy, Ireland, Brazil, etc. get a game or two here.”
Is Boston ready to take on the World Cup in 2026? Below you’ll find a sampling of responses from readers sharing why they do, or don’t, think Boston has what it takes.
Some entries may be edited for length and clarity.
Do you think Boston is a good host city for the 2026 World Cup?
Yes
“Boston is a great venue for the World Cup. A global city with a great sports culture. Concerns about traffic and overcrowding are overblown. We would probably get 4-6 games at the Razor over the course of a month, which is more than manageable for a metro area of over 5 million people. I wish the World Cup was coming to my city!” — Jeff, Dennis
“I’m an Uruguayan living in the area and so excited to see the biggest sports event in the world come to us. Despite the fears of congestion etc., I am confident the city will be able to handle it (think 2 to 4 games out of many) and the rewards will be priceless! There’s nothing like the excitement of an international crowd coming to cheer for their team. Full restaurants, bars, and hotels, demand for taxis and rides, amazing energy, and media showcasing this incomparable city and state. Not to mention the large number of soccer fans already living here and starving for live world-class games (NE Revs aside 👍🏼). I can’t see anything but positives and a great opportunity. Vamos Uruguay!! Vamos Boston!!” — Laura V., Dedham
“The scale of the portion of the World Cup that happens in each host city is something that Boston handles regularly, and it can be done with infrastructure that Boston already has and uses, rather than requiring special infrastructure that would have to be built before and repurposed afterward (like the Olympics would). Boston also has communities with ties to World Cup contenders.” — Daniel, Somerville
“We are one of the best sports cities in the world and deserve to be a part of this event, which is the world’s biggest sports stage. I know I am excited to attend a game or three. It would have been a shame if we missed out on this.” — Danny, Quincy
“I would argue that the World Cup has risen to the level of, and possibly surpassed, the Olympics in world viewership and interest. Being able to host a portion of this world-class event without billions of dollars in losses, like the Olympics, makes this an easy win for Boston and New England as a whole.” — Adam H., York, Maine
“It’s the greatest sports event in the world. Boston should feel lucky it won the bid. The tourism dollars and just overall buzz outweigh traffic or any other NIMBY argument. The city has and will always have traffic issues. The World Cup won’t fix it or make it that much worse.” — Conor, Natick
No
“Foxborough is a pain to get to. Traffic is terrible. Local residents have to stay at home or stay away during games. For Pats games, the line for the men’s room at halftime is 30 minutes. Takes 2 hours to get out of the parking lot after the game. [They should] have built it nearer public transport. Where will the FanFest be? At City Hall, 30 miles away from the game?!?” — Richard W., Auburndale
“First, I LOVE the World Cup. Can’t wait, but I am not sure Boston (Foxborough) can pull this off. There’s no reliable public transportation. I live near Gillette and going to a Pats game is a nightmare. I do believe the Krafts will have a good plan and venue once you get there.” — Jessica, North Attleborough
“The traffic from the U.S. Open nearly undid me. The World Cup is factors of magnitude bigger. I know Foxborough is better at traffic than Brookline but it still sounds like a good time to go on vacation.” — Kay, Boston
“It’s not in Boston. Foxborough is not near anything. Everyone has to drive out from the city and find parking — it’s a logistical and environmental disaster. It’s also just a terrible soccer stadium. They need to stop trying to make it work and build a soccer-specific stadium in Boston on the T. Suffolk Downs? Wonderland? Both are great options to attract young people and the immigrant communities you need to make the sport come alive. I am an immigrant, I love the sport, and I have traveled to watch games all over the world. Gillette is among the worst stadiums I’ve ever been to.” — Joe, Salem
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
Be civil. Be kind.
Read our full community guidelines.To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address