Foxborough board authorizes staff to apply for World Cup security grant, insists on license and upfront payments

The Foxborough Select Board on Nov. 25 authorized town staff to submit a federal grant application tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the board conditioned the filing on receiving a full license, guarantees of upfront payment for police, fire, security and capital costs, and comparable insurance covering roughly 39 days of operations.

The vote came after town officials and representatives for the event organizers described a compressed timeline: the grant application needed to be filed the next day to preserve eligibility, while final contracting and licensing arrangements would follow only if the town felt protected from financial risk. Select Board member Bill said the town lacks the legal authority and budget to absorb large upfront costs without a separate town vote and contractual assurances.

A representative speaking for Boston Soccer and Boston 26, a nonprofit formed to support hosting World Cup events in the region, described the grant application process as routed from a state grant office (referred to as OGR) to FEMA and stressed that an application is non-binding until FEMA awards funds and the town chooses to accept them. The representative also said the group would advocate that public-safety agencies be prioritized for any award.

"We do not believe that the grant application is the contract for services and we don't believe that the grant application is the license," the Boston Soccer representative said, urging the town to file to preserve eligibility while noting contracting steps would follow.

Jess, identified in the meeting as a representative of One Patriot Place, said One Patriot Place would "come to the table in good faith" and expressed support for submitting the application as an important first step, while acknowledging the town's need for financial and contractual assurances.

Town staff outlined concerns about coverage and cost. Officials said existing insurance policies cover officers from a set of 27 communities under current arrangements; a new licensee and the scale of World Cup security would probably require a materially different and more expensive policy. The town also provided an estimate — roughly $6.7 million — for the security costs as outlined by FIFA, and said the town's expected direct financial benefit under present estimates would be about $1.6 million. Board members said they would not accept being "on the hook" for the larger potential liability without contractual protections.

After discussion about payment timing, insurance and who would hold contractual responsibility, the board approved a motion allowing staff to submit the 2026 FIFA World Cup grant application, subject to: a full license and agreement to the town by Jan. 25, 2026; all police, fire, security and capital expenses being paid to the town upfront; and comparable insurance policies covering the 39-day event period. The motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote: Mark, Stephanie, Bill, Debbie and Amy S. all voted yes.

The board instructed staff to begin immediate work to clarify how payments and contracts would be managed and to seek the necessary assurances from event organizers and state partners. The meeting adjourned following the vote.

What happens next: staff will submit the grant application to preserve eligibility, while negotiations over licensing, insurance and payment terms continue; the board set an internal deadline for a full license application of Jan. 25, 2026, and noted that any federal award would be non-binding until FEMA and the town finalize approvals.