FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In two days, Boston Stadium will host its first of seven World Cup matches. Haiti and Scotland take the pitch Saturday night in Foxborough.
On Thursday, FIFA representatives gave a tour inside the venue to media from all over the world. They took Boston 25 Reporter Michael Raimondi through the tunnels to the ‘mixed zone’ where players can be interviewed after the matches.
FIFA signage was everywhere. Posters from Patriots games or concerts were all removed. The locker rooms were covered with blue and gold World Cup signs.
“I’m so excited to get the chance to go behind the scenes. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here,” Scottish Soccer Reporter Craig Telfer said. “When you see the size of the bowl and how huge it is its intimidating I feel like I’m a long way from Kansas.”
The tour continued onto the most important part of the games, the pitch. The grass was mowed to about 9/10ths of an inch and is thriving in the warm weather this week.
“We’re giving them the stage to perform so we have to give them the proper stage,” the Venue Pitch Manager Greg Whatley said. “I’m really proud.”
The grass was brought in months ago and the crews have worked to get it ready for the opening match. They said if it rains, they have vacuum systems in place to removed water quickly.
“It’s the only thing that everybody sees. Whether you’re watching in the stadium or on TV, it’s what everyone sees. It’s the key,” Whatley said.
The biggest changes are what’s happening outside the stadium. Parking spots just outside the venue are limited. Thousands of spots are being used for other things, like storage, fan entertainment and broadcast areas.
“Parking lots are no longer parking lots. That’s our broadcast compound, that’s our signage storage area. One whole parking lot is our stadium fan experience,” Kevin Clark with FIFA said.
Clark says typically about 3,000 people use the train to a Patriots game or concert in Foxborough. He’s expecting more than 15,000 people to take the commuter rail to the World Cup matches. He’s telling people to arrive early. Gates open thirty minutes before kickoff, and security could take an hour to get through.
“If you’re in your seats 30 minutes before, you’ll be able to have an excellent experience with the national anthems and pre-match ceremonies prior to kickoff,” Clark said.
Round-trip traintickets from South Station to Foxborough are priced at $80and are available through the MBTA’s mTicket app. However, there’s one important catch — fans must already have a ticket to the World Cup match in order to purchase a train ticket.
Haiti and Scotland kick off at Boston Stadium Saturday night at 9.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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