Boston readies for FIFA
FIFA games will be played at Gillette Stadium, in Foxboro, Mass. It will be called “Boston Stadium’’ for these games. Gillette is the home of the New England Revolution soccer team.
By Brendan Cassidy in The Boston Guardian
(New England Diary’s editor, Robert Whitcomb, is chairman of The Boston Guardian’s board.)
As Boston prepares to host seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches next summer, Meet Boston has formed a new group to help ensure that the legacy of these games is carried on.
The group, called the Greater Boston Sports Commission, will help pursue opportunities for the city to host more games and events in the future.
Meet Boston President Martha Sheridan announced the formation of the group at Meet Boston’s annual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Meet Boston is a marketing and visitor services organization focused on driving tourism-related business in the city.
Successes of the organization, ongoing happenings and plans for the future were discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
The first order of the Greater Boston Sports Commission is to support the delivery of the World Cup games to Boston in 2026.
In the future, the group hopes to help bring events like the FIFA Women's World Cup and the NBA All-Star Game to the city, said Sheridan.
The seven World Cup matches taking place in Boston next year have an estimated economic impact of $1 billion, according to Meet Boston.
“The eyes of the world will be on the best city on the planet next summer,” said Mayor Michelle Wu, who spoke at the meeting.
Sheridan said that sports tourism has been a long-term priority of Meet Boston.
Meet Boston will also look to increase its supplier diversity imprint in 2026 with the help of Conan Harris & Associates.
Meet Boston and Conan Harris will partner on a program called P.A.T.H., which stands for promoting advancement and tourism and hospitality.
P.A.T.H hosts events like career fairs aiming to connect culturally diverse individuals with employers in the hospitality industry.
“Meet Boston saw that there was a gap,” said Harris. “They wanted to open up this industry to the Greater Boston community, to diverse Boston.”
The organization will be rolling out a new platform in 2026 meant to expand partnerships with minority, women and veteran owned businesses.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion remains at the heart of everything we do,” said Meet Boston Community Engagement Liaison Michael Munn in a video presented to attendees.
Promoting green travel practices citywide and limiting carbon footprint will continue to be a focus of Meet Boston in 2026.
Currently, Meet Boston’s “Frostival” programming is taking place, offering a number of winter activities through February.
“This programming will completely transform and reimagine winter in Boston,” read a Meet Boston press release.
In December, drone shows will take place over the Boston Common each Saturday night.
Copley Square will be transformed to host an immersive experience during the Winter Olympics in February, which take place in Milan. There are also plans for a Ferris wheel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in February.