FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The fate of World Cup games set to be played in Massachusetts this summer is no longer in limbo.
For weeks, the town of Foxborough — home to the NFL's New England Patriots and their Gillette Stadium site scheduled to host seven World Cup tournament matches in June and July — had been holding back on granting an entertainment license that FIFA needs to stage the games.
The issue had been $7.8 million that the town has not yet received to cover the costs of security and related materials for the matches. Officials made it clear to attorneys representing the Boston Soccer 2026 organizing committee at a public hearing last week that a license would not be issued by the March 17 deadline if funding wasn't in place.
But a joint statement issued late Wednesday night by the town, Boston Soccer 2026, and Gillette Stadium owner Kraft Sports and Entertainment said they "reached an understanding collectively" to approve the license at next week's hearing to “ensure a safe successful FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament at Gillette Stadium."
The statement said the organizing committee will provide the cash up front, with Kraft Sports and Entertainment guaranteeing the funds.
"As part of this arrangement, the Town of Foxborough will not incur any cost or financial burden related to the FIFA World Cup, with Boston Soccer 2026 providing advance funding for security-related capital expenditures and the full extent of deployment that public safety officials have determined is needed to execute the event with Kraft Sports + Entertainment’s backing," the statement said.
A message seeking comment from officials in Foxborough was not immediately returned.
Funding was originally supposed to be issued from federal monies allocated as part of President Donald Trump's “ Big Beautiful Bill, " which passed last year and set aside $46 million for Massachusetts for World Cup security. That money was due to be issued through the Department of Homeland Security in January, but so far has not come through.
Associated Press reporter Mike Casey contributed.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed before press conference at Rockefeller Plaza, June 16, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — British rock star Morrissey won’t perform a concert in Valencia after festivities in the Spanish city kept him from getting a proper night’s rest, the former frontman of The Smiths said Thursday.
A statement posted on Morrissey’s website on the morning of the concert said that the “scheduled show in Valencia has been rendered impossible due to sleep deprivation.”
Morrissey arrived to Valencia on Wednesday after a two-day drive from Milan, but he was disturbed during the night by the festival that included, the statement said, “loud techno singing (and) megaphone announcements” that were audible from inside his hotel room.
“This experience has left Morrissey in a catatonic state,” the statement read.
In another short post on his website, the singer said his night was an “indescribable hell.”
“It will take me one year to recover. And that is an understatement.”
The website added in bold print that “The show is not canceled. Circumstances render the show impossible,” making it unclear if it will be rescheduled or if ticket holders can request a refund.
The 66-year-old Morrissey is touring to promote his album “Make-up Is a Lie,” his first in six years, which was released earlier this month. It is the 14th solo album for the ex-singer of The Smiths, an iconic 1980s rock band.
While loved by his fans for timeless hits such as “How Soon Is Now?” and “Everyday Is Like Sunday,” Morrissey is also known for his temperamental character and wide array of shifting political views. His support of animal rights has made him a fierce critic of Spain's traditional bullfights, for example.
The “Las Fallas” festival in Valencia, a city on Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast, is famous for its noisy street parties and fireworks. It culminates in the burning of huge, handmade papier-mâché sculptures, which this year takes place on March 19.
UNESCO added Las Fallas to its catalog of intangible cultural heritage in 2016, describes the incineration of the sculptures as “a form of purification” and “social renewal.”
Morrissey stays in Spain for his next two tour dates, playing in Zaragoza on Saturday and Seville on Monday.
FILE - British singer and songwriter Morrissey performs at the Vive Latino music festival in Mexico City on March 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)
