Foxborough Sets March 17 Deadline for FIFA World Cup Hosting License

FOXBOROUGH — February 3, 2026 — Foxborough Select Board sets March 17 deadline for FIFA World Cup license, warns on $7.7 million funding gap. The board made clear Tuesday that it will not grant a hosting license for World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium unless all financial terms are resolved, after Town Manager Paige Wilderson reported that the town's $7.7 million grant application — intended to cover security manpower and capital costs — may not be fully funded. Chair Bill Yukna noted that even a full grant would leave the town exposed, since funds come as reimbursement rather than upfront payment: "We're not in a position to put forward $7.8 million up front and hope to be reimbursed." The board also voted unanimously to close the annual town meeting warrant on February 15, with 16 articles currently on file, and heard the Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Committee report that it has trained more than 4,000 people over 12 years — a figure the committee claims exceeds any comparable program nationally.