With just one year to go until the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, Governor Maura Healey is touting the economic boost Massachusetts expects to get from hosting seven matches at Gillette Stadium. Or, as it will be known during the international tournament, Boston Stadium.
Speaking at Boston University’s Nickerson Field on Wednesday, Healey said the matches are expected to draw 2 million visitors to the region.
“And you know what comes with that? Money,” Healey said.
Organizers have estimated the matches could generate over a billion dollars for the region, a number also forecast by Healey at Wednesday’s event.
Beyond the economic boost, the World Cup is likely to have a significant impact on the local soccer scene, too.
Mike Loynd, president and CEO of the Boston World Cup 2026 organizing committee, said organizers are collaborating with the governor’s office to identify locations for mini-pitches— smaller fields designed to increase access to the game.
“We have a relationship with U.S. Soccer Foundation to build up to 20 mini-pitches in underserved communities,” Loynd said. “So that whole process has gone across Massachusetts. And [we] will be identifying some and announcing those very soon.”
Ed Foster-Simeon, president and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, pointed out the United States is on a hot streak as a host country — momentum he hopes to leverage.
“We had the Copa America. We have the Club World Cup. We have 2026 coming. You have the Olympics, and it looks like a Women’s World Cup coming in 2031,” he said. “Those planets will not align like that again in my lifetime.”
The one-year countdown comes days after President Donald Trump issued a travel ban barring nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States, and as his administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants sparks protests and diplomatic tensions.
When asked about international fans who may have concerns about coming to the U.S., Healey struck an optimistic tone.
“We’re just gonna have a great celebration,” Healey said. “A year from now, it’s gonna kick off, FIFA '26, the World Cup coming to Boston, coming to Massachusetts. It’s a chance for us to showcase who we are. I think the fans, visitors from all over the world are gonna have a fantastic experience.”
She predicts the World Cup will have a lasting impact on soccer locally, particularly on programs for the commonwealth’s young athletes.
“The places and the spaces that are gonna be built out for them — that will live on long after the World Cup is gone,” she said.
