The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is planning steep increases to round‑trip train fares between central Boston and Gillette Stadium for the 2026 World Cup, according to sources involved in planning.
For special events the MBTA typically charges about $20 for a return ticket. That fee rose to $30 — a 50% increase — for a recent exhibition between France and Brazil at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, with no concessions and a requirement that children under 11 hold valid tickets. Insiders say fares for World Cup matches could be in the neighborhood of $75 or higher per person for the roughly 27‑mile journey from Boston South station to the stadium, more than triple the usual special‑event price. The agency plans to announce its official fare programs by April 8.
Gillette Stadium, owned by the Kraft Group and home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, seats about 65,000 and is set to host seven World Cup matches, including a round‑of‑32 fixture and a quarter‑final. Group‑stage matches scheduled at Gillette include Scotland vs Haiti and Scotland vs Morocco, England vs Ghana, and Norway vs France.
The MBTA says it is investing $35 million to upgrade Foxboro Station ahead of the tournament, including full accessibility improvements, and intends to operate unprecedented service levels — mobilizing as many as 20,000 riders to and from each match. Officials and planners say the station work and the extra trains and staffing represent significant costs, and that higher fares are being considered as one way to help offset those expenses.
Fan groups and supporters warn that steep transit charges would add to already high costs for attending World Cup games, on top of expensive match tickets and rising hotel rates. The Football Supporters Association (FSA), which represents fans in England and Wales, urged Boston officials to rethink the planned pricing and “offer fans a fair deal.” The FSA pointed out that spectators at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 European Championship in Germany had access to free public transport on match days, and said new charges risk exploiting fans who have already paid heavily to travel.
The MBTA has not yet released final fare figures. The agency’s formal fare announcements are expected by April 8.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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