MBTA Expands Service, Limits Parking for World Cup at Gillette Stadium

Public transit to play major role as only a quarter of stadium's 20,000 parking spaces available during tournament

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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With the FIFA World Cup just months away, parking at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts will be severely limited, with only about a quarter of the stadium's 20,000 parking spaces available. To ease congestion, the MBTA plans to add 14 commuter rail trains running every 15 minutes on match days, as soccer fans tend to rely more on public transportation than football fans.

Why it matters

The limited parking at Gillette Stadium during the World Cup is expected to put heavy demand on public transportation and potentially spill over into nearby neighborhoods. Managing the influx of an estimated 2 million visitors to the region during the tournament will be a major challenge, requiring close coordination between transit officials, the stadium, and local businesses.

The details

The MBTA plans to add 14 commuter rail trains running every 15 minutes on match days to help transport the estimated 20,000 fans expected to attend each World Cup match at Gillette Stadium. Foxborough Station is currently undergoing expansion ahead of the tournament and is expected to be completed by May. Officials will test their preparations next month during a friendly match between Brazil and France.

  • The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just a few months away.
  • Seven World Cup matches are scheduled to take place at Gillette Stadium this summer.
  • The MBTA's expanded service plan will be tested next month during a Brazil vs. France friendly match.

The players

Donna Daaboul

A local resident who leases her property for parking during stadium events.

Phillip Eng

MBTA General Manager hired to turn around the public transit system in Massachusetts.

Ryan Coholan

MBTA Chief Operating Officer.

Erika Mazza

MBTA's Chief Development Enterprise Officer.

Tom Ryan

A senior adviser with A Better City, a Boston-based organization focused on improving the region's infrastructure and transportation.

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What they’re saying

“I think it will be a little overwhelming for the area, but from a business standpoint, of course, we're looking forward to it.”

— Donna Daaboul, Local resident who leases parking (nbcboston.com)

“The focus is direct transportation between Boston and the stadium, for about 20,000 folks.”

— Ryan Coholan, MBTA Chief Operating Officer (nbcboston.com)

“Football fans do not do a lot of tailgating. They march.”

— Erika Mazza, MBTA's Chief Development Enterprise Officer (nbcboston.com)

“The T is critical to overcome these challenges and the limits on parking.”

— Tom Ryan, Senior Adviser, A Better City (nbcboston.com)

“The World Cup is going to be serving tourists and visitors to the region who are coming from out of out of the country, all over the world, who may not need to have cars to come to this.”

— Tom Ryan, Senior Adviser, A Better City (nbcboston.com)

What’s next

Officials will test their preparations next month during a friendly match between Brazil and France.

The takeaway

The limited parking at Gillette Stadium during the World Cup will require the MBTA to play a critical role in transporting the estimated 2 million visitors to the region, as soccer fans tend to rely more on public transportation than football fans. Coordinating this influx of people and managing the overlap with other local events will be a major challenge, but transit leaders believe they have a solid plan to handle the demand.