FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – The Foxboro Select Board met behind closed doors Tuesday night before opening up to the public to discuss concerns about funding for the FIFA World Cup games that are scheduled to be played at Gillette Stadium.
Town officials said there is approximately $7.8 million in security costs needed up front, and they are still unsure who will be covering that cost.
Town officials argue that Foxboro should not be responsible for funding the international event, and select board members warned they would withhold the license needed to host the matches if event organizers don’t pay the security expenses up front.
“This board does not want to deny this license by any means, okay, but we will if we have to,” said Foxboro Select Board Vice Chair Stephanie McGowan.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, attorneys for the Boston 2026 World Cup Host Committee said federal grant funding is expected to cover the expenses. They told the board the committee is willing to pay for the staffing and equipment requested by Foxboro police and fire officials, but the committee said payment would be given within two business days of an invoice, and necessary equipment would be put in place by June 1.
Board members said that timeline does not meet the deadline they have been seeking for months, and without a firm payment committment and confirmation that safety equipment would be delivered, the board said it will not approve the license.
“This is an event license right, respectfully, I don’t think the board needs to — I don’t want to use the word micromanage but no other words are coming to mind. Every detail about when exactly do we have to order this piece of equipment or that piece of equipment, that should really be in coordination, determined by coordination between the chiefs and Boston Soccer 2026,” said one attorney.
The Foxboro Select Board has given the host committee a March 17 deadline to come up with a firm plan that addresses its concerns.
Tuesday marks 100 days to go until the World Cup kicks off.
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