Boston’s Transit Dilemma: Can the MBTA Handle 20,000 World Cup Fans?

Boston is facing a major transit challenge as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. With the transit agency tasked to move up to 20,000 passengers per match to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, about one-third of the stadium's capacity, questions are being raised about the feasibility of moving this number of people.

Erika Mazza, the T's senior advisor for special projects, stated the number of people the T needs to move per match is “at least four times more” than “for an Army-Navy game, for Taylor Swift. It certainly is much greater than what we do for regular concerts or Patriot games,” a WBUR report notes.

To accommodate the influx, the T is constructing a new, extended platform at Foxboro station that's more accessible to everyone. 

Construction started on the $35 million project last summer, and there's little room for error. Transit officials said they anticipate the platform will be ready only a few weeks before the first match on June 13.

MBTA officials note that the Foxboro station rebuild will serve World Cup events, improve weekday service to Foxborough, and enable future large-event operations.

While the Kraft Group, the owners of Gillette Stadium, have contributed to design costs for the station, it remains unclear whether they will provide additional funding for ongoing transit needs.

MBTA leadership and partners are still determining key operational details for match days. They include train frequency, Fan Festival locations, and safety logistics. Additionally, there is some uncertainty about overall spectator turnout, including how many of the 2 million anticipated global fans will visit Boston and where non-ticket-holders will gather for Fan Festivals.

WBUR stated on Wednesday, Jan. 21, that a report on World Cup public safety and transportation preparations by the state's Executive Office of Public Safety and Security last month pointed to “funding complexities” and “several key locations yet to be identified” that need to be addressed “before all planning and mitigation strategies can be outlined.”