Foxborough may withhold World Cup 2026 license over $7.8m security dispute

With fewer than four months until the 2026 World Cup, matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., face uncertainty as town officials say they will not issue the required entertainment license until a dispute over roughly $7.8 million in public safety funding is resolved.

Town leaders have set a March 17 deadline to settle questions around security funding, saying local taxpayers cannot be expected to front the cost before the license is granted. Paige Duncan, Foxborough town manager, said the town is committed to hosting the tournament but needs clarity on where the money will come from.

'If nobody gives money, there's no World Cup in Foxborough,' she said. The federal government has earmarked $625 million for security and preparedness across the 11 U.S. host cities, but it remains unclear how much Foxborough will receive.

United States, Foxborough, Massachusetts

foxborough, gillette stadium, world cup, 2026, entertainment license, security funding, 7.8 million, public safety, paige duncan, federal government