The Kraft Group is "teeing up a nonprofit organization that would enable Boston to take a shot at being a host city" for the '26 FIFA World Cup, according to Jon Chesto of the BOSTON GLOBE. It has "formed Boston Soccer 2026 to put Boston in the mix." The joint North American bid was submitted to FIFA earlier this month with "23 possible host cities, including Boston." Kraft Group Founder, Chair & CEO Robert Kraft is an honorary Chair of the North American bid committee. The local games "would be played at the nearly 66,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxborough." But Boston would be the "primary host city, in part because many fans would travel through Logan Airport and stay in the city." City officials said that Boston Soccer 2026 will "eventually reimburse Boston for staff planning expenses and any other costs incurred." They added that the organization would also "sign the host-city agreement with FIFA ... ensuring Boston doesn't get stuck with World Cup-related financial and legal stipulations." For now, Kraft Group is the "only company backing Boston Soccer 2026." Gillette Stadium Exec Dir Of Special Events Phil Buttafuoco said that the nonprofit "eventually would try to raise an unspecified amount of money for Boston's role in hosting as many as six games at Gillette" in mid-'26 (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/26).
