Massachusetts unveils 'Match Ready Massachusetts,' secures $76 million for World Cup security and $10 million for community events
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Summary
The Office of the Governor announced Match Ready Massachusetts, a public-facing preparedness initiative backed by $76 million in federal funding for security and $10 million to support local watch parties, and outlined multiagency planning across public safety, health and transportation.
The Office of the Governor on Thursday announced Match Ready Massachusetts, a public-facing initiative to coordinate safety, transportation and public-health preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a preliminary international friendly in Foxborough.
The initiative is paired with $76,000,000 in federal funding aimed at strengthening staffing, training, equipment and operational coordination, and a separate $10,000,000 allocation to support local celebrations and watch parties across the state, officials said. "To date, we've secured $76,000,000 in federal funding for World Cup security and preparedness," the Office of the Governor said during the briefing.
Secretary of Public Safety and Security Gina Kwan thanked local, state and federal partners and described a unified multi-agency planning structure that brings senior leadership and subject-matter experts together across jurisdictions and disciplines. "Our approach is risk based and intelligence driven," Kwan said, adding the plan includes coordinated crowd management, emergency medical services, cybersecurity and intelligence sharing.
Officials listed participation by roughly 70 agencies, briefing of all 351 local emergency management directors, 14 specialized planning groups and five major exercises to rehearse emergency preparedness scenarios. Transportation agencies are expected to publish special MBTA schedules for event trains, and the Department of Public Health will coordinate with hospitals and local boards of health to ensure medical resources are ready, officials said.
The administration characterized the World Cup as a statewide opportunity while noting that Foxborough and Boston will be most intensely impacted by crowds. Organizers encouraged residents to consult mass511.com and mbta.com/gillette for travel information and to plan ahead for event days.
The announcement closes with a pledge to keep the public informed through the Match Ready hub and to continue interagency coordination as the friendly and the tournament approach.
