ABOUT
One of America's oldest and most storied cities, Boston wears its history proudly, from colonial cobblestones to iconic university campuses. It's a city of fierce local pride, excellent seafood, world-class museums, and a compact, walkable character that sets it apart from other East Coast metropolises.
New England Revolution is one of MLS's founding clubs, playing at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which also hosts the NFL's New England Patriots.
Boston's collegiate environment, with Harvard, MIT, and Boston University among dozens of universities in the area, creates a young, engaged football audience, and the region has produced significant USMNT talent over the years.
The city's passionate sporting culture ensures that World Cup matches here will have an electric atmosphere.
Boston hosts seven matches in total. Five group stage games, including Sweden vs Tunisia and France vs Senegal, plus a round of 32 and a quarter-final.
Boston
Getting FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets
Tickets and ticket prices have been much of the talk for the World Cup, so far. Because of the high prices for the World Cup, it means there are still tickets available for most games.
This is the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 teams and 104 matches through the tournament, running from 11th June to 19th July. Here's everything you need to know.
Official channels first.
The Last-Minute Sales Phase launched on 1st April and runs through until the end of the tournament. Unlike earlier lottery phases, tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis with instant confirmation. Your FIFA ID needs to be active and payment details saved in advance, as inventory for high-profile matches in cities like New York and Los Angeles sells out within minutes of being released. All purchases go through FIFA.com/tickets.
The official resale route.
The FIFA Resale/Exchange Marketplace reopened on April 2 and remains open until one hour before each match's kick-off. Availability can be very limited, with tickets appearing sporadically, so best advice is to check frequently and act quickly. All transactions and ticket transfers are handled by FIFA, keeping the tickets digital throughout. There is no limit on the mark-up on tickets, so prices can vary. However, with dynamic pricing, there's always a chance some tickets get cheaper nearer to the game.
Third-party resale — proceed with caution.
Platforms like StubHub, Viagogo, and SeatGeek operate legally in many markets but are not recognised by FIFA as valid resale channels. FIFA has made clear that tickets bought outside the official system may be invalid or cancelled. FIFA has placed no restrictions on resale pricing, which has caused significant controversy — particularly for the final, where prices are expected to be extremely high.
Gillette Stadium offers a comprehensive behind-the-scenes tour experience that covers both the New England Patriots' NFL history and the Revolution's MLS legacy. The tour includes access to the field level, the home and visitor locker rooms, the press box, luxury suites and the Patriot Place entertainment complex adjacent to the stadium.
The Hall at Patriot Place, an interactive museum dedicated to both clubs, is open on most days and is included in the standard tour package. Special themed tours focusing specifically on Revolution history are available during the MLS season.
Tours are bookable online and run Tuesday through Sunday on non-event days. Prices are approximately $20 for adults and $15 for under-16s. Parking is free when visiting for a tour.
Full details: revolutionsoccer.net or gillettestadium.com
Address: Gillette Stadium, One Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA 02035
For New England Revolution MLS matches take the MBTA Commuter Rail from South Station on match days – trains run directly to Foxborough station adjacent to the ground.
FAN ZONE: FIFA Fan Festival Boston — City Hall Plaza
Boston’s fan festival will be based at City Hall Plaza, giving supporters a much more central gathering point than Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The event is planned for the group-stage period and will show multiple live matches per day, with entertainment, cultural programming and food options around the plaza. It is the best option for ticketless fans staying in Boston itself, especially as the stadium requires separate matchday transport out to Foxborough.
Cost: Entry is free, but fans must register for a pass in advance. Entry is first come, first served and not guaranteed if capacity is reached.
A beautifully maintained historic hotel on Boston's most elegant shopping street. The Lenox offers excellent rooms, an outstanding restaurant and immediate access to Back Bay.
Boston's Seaport is one of the city's fastest-evolving neighbourhoods, and the Seaport Hotel sits at its heart. Comfortable rooms with harbour views and easy access to transport.
Ideally positioned on Commonwealth Avenue near Fenway Park, Hotel Commonwealth puts guests in the heart of the city's most energetic sports-fan neighbourhood.
One of the best-value options in the city, the Hi Boston Hostel is centrally located near Downtown Crossing. Free breakfast available. Regular social events for solo travellers.
The Residence Inn offers a comfortable stay for those wishing to stay near the ground in the small town of Foxborough - Gillette Stadium is just a 10-minute taxi journey away.
CLAM CHOWDER AND LOBSTER ROLLS
Boston's food identity is inseparable from the ocean. New England clam chowder – creamy, thick and packed with clams and potato – is the city's signature dish, available from fine-dining restaurants and paper cups at Quincy Market alike. The lobster roll (cold, with mayo, or warm, with butter – both versions fiercely defended) is the region's other great seafood institution.
The North End, Boston's Italian neighbourhood, has been feeding the city since the late 19th century and remains the place to go for pasta, cannoli and traditional red-sauce cooking. Chinatown, compact but excellent, offers good value dim sum and Cantonese cooking. Cambridge – separated from Boston by the Charles River but culturally inseparable – has given the city a more eclectic, international food scene driven by the university population.
Boston has also developed a genuine fine-dining culture, with a wave of acclaimed chefs transforming the city's restaurant landscape in recent years. A 15% gratuity on restaurant bills is the minimum expected; 20% is standard for good service.
The best oysters and lobster rolls in Boston. Neptune Oyster is tiny – arrive early or expect a wait – but the quality of the seafood more than justifies the queue.
The North End is Boston's Italian neighbourhood and Giacomo's is its most beloved institution. Small, no reservations, and cash only. Great atmosphere and delicious pasta.
The official Revolution supporter bar in Boston, Banners is worth visiting before taking the train to Foxborough. Multiple screens, sports memorabilia and solid bar food.
A Boston institution that offers a broad menu of excellent food alongside one of the finest cocktail programmes in the city. A great option before heading out to the stadium.
CRAFT BEERS AND IRISH INFLUENCE
Boston's bar culture is shaped primarily by its Irish-American heritage, its university population, and its sporting obsession. The city has more bars per capita than almost anywhere in New England, and the quality is consistently high across the different neighbourhoods.
Beer is the default drink of choice and the craft beer scene has exploded in recent years. Samuel Adams – brewed in the city since 1984 – remains the most famous local brand, but breweries like Night Shift, Harpoon, Trillium and Notch have brought world-class IPAs, stouts and sours to the city's taps. The Seaport and South End areas have seen the most growth in craft beer bar openings.
The Irish pub tradition is alive and well throughout the city – genuine, unpretentious pubs with good Guinness are as common here as anywhere outside Dublin. Cambridge, just across the river, adds a more eclectic cocktail culture driven by the Harvard and MIT populations, while the South End has Boston's most sophisticated contemporary bar scene.
Known as Boston's best sports bar, they show nearly every televised Premier League and Champions League match with a lively, packed atmosphere.
Despite being famous for Red Sox crowds, the Cask 'n Flagon shows all sports and is a lively, welcoming option for football fans heading to or from the stadium area.
Claiming to be the oldest bar in America (opened 1795), Bell in Hand is a fun, history-soaked option in the heart of the city. Busy but welcoming, with live music most nights.
One of Boston's best-regarded craft breweries, Night Shift's waterfront taproom near North Station serves some of the finest IPAs in New England alongside a strong food menu.
Boston is one of America's oldest and most historically significant cities, founded in 1630 and central to the American Revolution. Today it's a compact, walkable city of approximately 675,000 people – though the Greater Boston metro area is home to over 4.8 million. Home to Harvard, MIT and over 50 other universities, Boston has an intellectual energy that coexists with its fierce sporting passions and deep Irish-American cultural roots.
CURRENCY: US DOLLARS
A 2.5-mile painted red line on the footpath connects 16 of Boston's most significant historic sites, including Boston Common, the Bunker Hill Monument, the Old North Church.
Open since 1912, Fenway Park is a baseball cathedral and one of the great sporting venues in America. Tours run daily if you're in town when the Red Sox aren't playing.
The covered marketplace at Quincy Market has been feeding Bostonians since 1826. Dozens of stalls serving New England clam chowder, lobster rolls and Boston cream pie.
One of the great American art museums, the MFA Boston has an extraordinary permanent collection including exceptional Egyptian antiquities, French Impressionists and American art.
Greetings and Basics
The T – Boston's subway and bus system (MBTA)
Charlie Card – the MBTA's travel card (inspired by the Kingston Trio song)
Chowdah – Boston accent rendering of 'chowder'
Wicked – adjective meaning 'very' (wicked good, wicked cold)
Pissa – 'wicked pissa' = very good
The Sox – Red Sox (baseball)
The Pats – New England Patriots (NFL)
The Revs – New England Revolution
Gillette – Gillette Stadium in Foxborough
Fenway – Fenway Park
The Cape – Cape Cod
Down cellar – the basement (unique Boston phrase)
Bubblah – a drinking fountain
Ides – opposite end to the supporter section
Harvahd Yahd – Harvard Yard (in Boston accent)
The Charles – the Charles River
Commuter Rail – suburban trains run by the MBTA
Brewster's – a common name for local pubs
Forgettable parking – Boston's notoriously confusing street parking
Packy – a package store (off-licence / liquor store)
Rotary – a traffic roundabout
Frappe – a milkshake (Boston dialect – not a 'shake')
New England clam chowder – always the creamy white version; Manhattan (red) chowder is an insult
Lobstah roll – the sacred butter or mayo lobster sandwich
Canoli – the North End's Italian pastry staple