How the MBTA is going to handle World Cup crowds
Why it matters:"Boston" is hosting World Cup games, but the actual stadium is 23 miles away in Foxborough.
Foxboro is the farthest from a major city center among all 11 American venues hosting World Cup games.
Getting thousands of international fans to and from Gillette Stadium will be a huge undertaking for the rebuilding MBTA.
Zoom in: A World Cup fan festival is planned for downtown Boston for the duration of the Massachusetts portion of the tournament.
Thousands of fans will fly into Logan, stay at Boston hotels and patronize the usual tourist spots between games.
The T has to make the added Foxborough trains run like clockwork to satisfy the international crowds.
So far, the T has taken a few steps to make sure fans can get to the World Cup games, including:
Setting up a construction blackout period for the tournament.
Identifying additional funds for buses, subway and ferry travel.
Expanding languages for signs, apps and other services.
Streamlining ticketing for international travelers.
Yes, but: Service planning is ongoing for getting 20,000 passengers to the Foxboro station located within walking distance from Gillette.
By the numbers: Gillette Stadium will host seven matches from June 13-July 9, 2026, including one quarterfinal match.
Six of the seven games are scheduled for weekdays.
FIFA is considering 12 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm or 9 pm start times, according to the MBTA's planning documents.
The stadium has around 65,000 total seats. The capacity record, 71,723, was set by an Ed Sheeran concert in 2023.
The bottom line: The MBTA — the same transit agency that frustrates New England commuters every day — wants to position itself as essential infrastructure for one of the world's largest sporting events.
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