Town of FoxboroughA deal has been reached in a small American town following a heated row over the future of Scotland’s World Cup games.
Steve Clarke’s side made history in qualifying for the finals in North America this summer, with the Scots due to take on Haiti on June 14 and then Morocco on June 19.
It means tens of thousands of the Tartan Army will descend on the Gillette Stadium, about 30 miles outside Boston.
Last month, a row erupted in the small town of Foxborough, where the 65,000-seater stadium lies.
Town of FoxboroughIt is home to NFL side New England Patriots, and is due to host seven World Cup games, including a quarter-final on July 9. England are also due to play Ghana at the stadium on June 23.
However, Foxborough officials said the town had yet to receive the $7.8million (£5.8m) required for security costs to host the games.
It threatened to withhold the entertainment license FIFA needs for matches to go ahead.
More than $625m in federal assistance toward World Cup security for the 11 host cities was pledged by the Trump administration last year.
A row boiled between local politicians and those in charge of hosting the tournament locally, before a deal was reached on Wednesday.
But a joint statement by the town, the host committee, and a company headed by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, confirmed that all parties had reached an agreement.
The statement read: “As part of this arrangement, the Town of Foxborough will not incur any cost or financial burden related to the FIFA World Cup, with Boston Soccer 2026 providing advance funding for security-related capital expenditures and the full extent of deployment that public safety officials have determined is needed to execute the event with Kraft Sports + Entertainment’s backing.”
What happened at the Foxborough town meeting earlier this month?
Foxborough is managed by a five-member board and a town manager.
They met earlier this month with representatives from Boston Soccer 2026, the local host organisation for the tournament. In a fiery exchange, board members and officials clashed over funding.
While assurances were made that the money would be paid, a heated debate ensued over timelines for the necessary security equipment and materials.
Select board member, Dr Mark Elflman, said: “I was expecting the same bulls**t that we’d got in the last two or three months. They didn’t give us any more information. It’s sad. It should have been done months ago.”
Foxborough police chief Michael Grace said: “We are less than 100 days away from hosting the largest sporting event in the world and can’t seem to find the necessary funding for the necessary equipment that’s been identified in over a year and a half of planning.
“Waiting until June 1 is unacceptable. The solution is very simple – fund what we need funded, and this issue is over tomorrow.”
However, Boston Soccer 2026 chief Mike Loynd, said: “We understand what they need. We totally agree with the requirements and are working through the details.
“I am still convinced we will get through that piece.
“We are very confident we can meet the financial requirements of this event. What we have now is a hard ten days of work.”
However, following the deal, FIFA’s license approval is now expected to be rubber-stamped at the Foxborough select board’s next meeting on March 17.
Governor steps in: ‘The World Cup is going to happen’
The row initially sparked a response from Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.
She told local reporters: “The World Cup’s going to happen – it is going to be in Massachusetts. It’s going to be great to have people come from all over the world and see our awesome state.
“I know that my team continues to stay in touch with local officials on all of this.
“There’s certainly funding that we’re awaiting from the federal government right now. It’d be a lot easier if the federal government provided the funding that they were supposed to provide.
“That hasn’t happened yet. But, you know, we’ll continue to work through all of this with local officials and all of the relevant parties.”
Where is the small town of Foxborough?
Foxborough, a town smaller than Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, has a population of less than 19,000.
Pronounced “Foxboro”, the town was formed in 1778, and is known by its residents as “the Gem of Norfolk County”, according to its official website.
It’s home to a theatre, a secondary school, and a number of eating and entertainment establishments
Foxborough prides itself on its “small-town image and strong sense of community”.
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