Foxborough has threatened to pull the plug on World Cup matches taking place at Gillette Stadium if it does not receive vital security funding. The Massachusetts town is scheduled to host seven fixtures in the major soccer tournament, including a quarterfinal, at its 64,628-seater stadium this summer. Town officials have stressed that they can't afford to front the seven-figure fee and wait to be reimbursed, meaning the arena is still lacking major safety equipment ahead of the World Cup. Everyone thinks we have a football stadium in this town, but with that being said we're a small town. Last month, the Foxborough Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police were awarded a collective $11million in grant funding to protect against 'malicious drone activity' during World Cup matches and American 250 events.

Source: Daily Mail February 18, 2026 20:10 UTC