FOXBORO, Mass. — Major upgrades at the Foxboro Commuter Rail station are now complete ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with state officials set to mark the milestone during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Maura Healey and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng are scheduled to attend the event, which will take place just after 1 p.m. at the station serving Gillette Stadium — one of Massachusetts’ largest event destinations.
The improvements are designed to handle a surge of visitors expected from around the world this summer as Foxboro hosts World Cup matches. State officials say the project was completed in just one year, making it the fastest permanent station construction in MBTA history.
The upgrades aim to improve accessibility and ease travel to and from the stadium during high-demand events.
While public transit capacity is being boosted, parking remains a major concern for residents and fans alike.
Some homeowners in nearby South Walpole are offering alternative parking options, charging around $100 per car on match days. Many of those properties are located just a 10- to 15-minute walk from the stadium.
One resident, Justin Burdon, said he obtained a permit through the town of Walpole to operate a parking lot at his home, where he can fit more than two dozen vehicles.
“What happens is the traffic gets super backed up, so people will park wherever they can and just walk to the stadium,” Burdon said. “It’s a lot easier. That intersection gets really jammed up — so my wife will be down there waving people into the lot, and I’ll be helping park the cars on the lawn.”
A Mansfield teen made it his mission to see the first train come through the new Foxboro Station Tuesday morning.
“It looks really nice and they did an amazing job on it,” said 13-year-old Jack Ring.
He got up earlier than usual for school to make sure he saw the train and captured it for his YouTube page “Southern Mass Railfan.”
Ring said, “It was great. They sent it down from the Readville yard up in Readville and it didn’t make any stops, no people got on. They just sent it down here.” He continued, “Worth it, yeah totally worth it.”
The demand for alternative parking comes as FIFA plans to charge $175 for on-site stadium parking during World Cup matches, making residential options a cheaper — and potentially more convenient — choice for some fans.
Officials hope the newly upgraded commuter rail station will ease congestion and provide a reliable transportation option as Foxboro prepares for a global spotlight.
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