Behind the scenes: Mass. transit planning ramps up for FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough

FOXBORO, Mass. — State and transit officials offered one of the first behind-the-scenes looks at how Massachusetts is preparing to move tens of thousands of fans for the summer FIFA World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium, revealing sweeping changes to parking, train service, and crowd control tied to the global tournament.

The update came during a Feb. 25 MassDOT board meeting, where officials outlined how match-day transportation plans will differ dramatically from a typical Patriots game or concert, even one as big as Taylor Swift’s.

World Cup matches at Gillette, which will be called Boston Stadium during the tournament, are scheduled between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., placing eager fans in the center of rush hour traffic, depending on the day.

Parking cut by 75%

One of the biggest shifts is a sharp reduction in on-site parking due to expanded security perimeters and the setup for vendors.

“The big difference is that the parking that you see at Gillette Stadium and around Patriot Place comes down from about a 20,000-parking stall opportunity — down to about 5,000,” said Erika Mazza, chief enterprise officer at the MBTA. “So, 5,000 general-purpose cars will be able to park on site, for the World Cup matches,” Mazza said.

Because of that limitation, officials say public transportation will play a central role in getting fans to and from Foxborough.

“That is why our efforts are so important with MassDOT and the MBTA as we are trying to support the movement of over 30,000 individuals — not by car — but by public transit or car-share/ride-share, other means as well,” Mazza said.

Up to 14 trains per match

The MBTA has committed to moving roughly 20,000 passengers per match in and out of Foxboro Station, using up to 14 commuter rail trains per game — a major increase compared to past events.

Transit officials said the agency typically runs one train for Patriots games and runs four trains for the Army–Navy game. World Cup planning pushes that number significantly higher.

“Going up to 14 is monumental if you think about it,” said Phil Eng, Massachusetts’ interim transportation secretary, and MBTA General Manager.

Eng said the expanded service is being designed not only for the World Cup, but also to create a blueprint for future large-scale events.

‘Playbook’ for every match

Each match will have its own customized transportation “playbook,” accounting for different start times and days of the week. Plans are expected to evolve up until about a month before each game, when the “fan marches” will be locked in.

Officials said a petition process for each fan march closes 30 days before the match. That is when transportation planners will learn details about attendees’ plans, routes, and needed road closures — organized supporter events that could bring thousands of people to Boston’s South Station at the same time.

“People have to go from a ‘march’ directly into some kind of queuing system, and then there are other elements — things like ensuring people have match tickets, ensuring people have train tickets,” said Rod Brooks, a senior advisory consultant with the MBTA.

Fan festival still pending

Plans for a World Cup fan festival on Boston’s City Hall Plaza are still being finalized. Dates and times have not yet been announced.

Transportation leaders stressed that while the planning is complex, the World Cup to rethink how it handles major events — and is expected to bring a $1 billion economic boost to the region as well.

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