48 teams will compete in stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico at the world’s most popular sporting event. FIFA expects the 2026 games to be one of the largest editions of the World Cup, which has been a tradition every four years since 1930.
22 cities across North America competed for hosting bids, out of the 16 to win-Boston made the list! We were always good at competing for things (cough cough Patriots, Sox, etc.). This isn’t Boston’s first time hosting the World Cup. The 1994 World Cup was held in Foxborough, making this Boston’s second time hosting the men’s FIFA World Cup. In 1999 and 2003 Gillette hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
‘We are Boston’
On Thursday, May 18, 2023 FIFA unveiled the unique branding colors of each of the host cities. Boston’s main color will be a grass green with accents of teal and orange. You may have already noticed the monumental flag on display in Seaport under the arches of Rowe’s Wharf. The hashtag used to celebrate and track World Cup updates for the 2026 tournament is #WeAre26.
What cities will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
32 years later, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Boston will also be held in Gillette Stadium! Additional cities selected to host the 2026 games include:
- Santa Clara, CA
- Los Angelos, CA
- Miami, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Atlanta, GA
- Seattle, WA
- East Rutherford, New Jersey (and New York)
- Dallas, TX
- Houston, TX
- Kansas City, MO
- Mexico City; Monterey; Guadalajara, Mexico
- Vancouver; Toronto, Canada
Roughly 450,000 visitors are expected to come to the state from all over the Northeast according to Gillette. The event is expected to bring in $500 million in economic activity with additional tourism and occupancy of lodging and dining in Foxboro and surrounding cities. Martha Sheridan, President, and CEO of the Greater Boston Visitor and Convention Bureau said in a statement:
No past event in the city’s history would come close to this one. Maybe if we hosted the Olympics. That’s probably comparable to what it would be like to host the World Cup.
For this year’s games, which are hosted in Qatar, and begin on November 20, 2022, you might not be able to attend in person, but you can watch the games at one of these epic viewing parties. The contagious energy of Bostonian soccer fans will make it feel as though you’re there watching live!
FIFA reveals dates of 2026 World Cup games at Gillette Stadium
Mark your calendars and get ready to score tickets to the FIFA games coming to Gillette! Tickets have yet to go live, but you can start planning accommodations, travel, and more using the dates below as a guide. A total of seven games are slated to take place in Foxborough:
- Saturday, June 13, 2026: Group C
- Tuesday, June 16, 2026: Group I
- Friday, June 19, 2026: Group C
- Tuesday, June 23, 2026: Group L
- Friday, June 26, 2026: Group I
- Monday, June 29, 2026: Round of 32
- Thursday, July 9, 2026: Quarterfinals
The 2026 World Cup Finals are scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026 in New Jersey.