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FIFA World Cup 26 matches will be played at Gillette Stadium.
As Massachusetts prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches in the summer of 2026 and welcome thousands of international tourists, Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy stressed the state is counting on federal dollars to support all of the events.
Healey's fiscal 2026 budget recommendation does not carve out funding dedicated to FIFA public safety efforts, Reidy said Friday.
"The FIFA event will be a tremendous event for Massachusetts if we have the proper funding, and the funding primarily should be coming from the federal government," Reidy said at a budget hearing in Clinton. "Boston is the lead city on this, but I have major, major concerns if we don't have the funding…and where are we going to be in a couple years geopolitically?"
The secretary added, "It is a massive undertaking for everybody -- not just law enforcement."
Seven matches, including a quarterfinal, will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough during FIFA World Cup 26. Sen. Paul Feeney had asked Reidy what financial resources are needed to support the matches, which the Foxborough Democrat had likened to hosting seven Super Bowls.
Reidy outlined a bevy of security concerns, as he referenced the New Orleans terror attack on New Year's Eve that prompted stricter safety measures at the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The secretary also mentioned planning for World Cup fan events in Boston.
"I believe there's supposed to be a fan event, potentially on the Boston Common or Boston City Hall, going after hours for like 29 days, 29 days or so from like two in the afternoon to early morning hours," he said.
He added, "There's significant, significant public safety concerns that we're preparing for. There are a lot of teams, a lot of work tracks. We are going to absolutely need federal funding. And those are the representations that the working groups have received from our federal partners. If we don't have that, it's going to be a significant, significant issue that we're going to have to address."
Reidy did not specify the scale of federal funding that's needed in Massachusetts. He also did not mention any specific threats that could jeopardize the flow of federal dollars surrounding the World Cup.
Still, the Healey administration is already grappling with federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. Even steeper reductions could be on the horizon, as Gov. Maura Healey has warned 2 million Bay Staters could lose their health insurance should congressional Republicans move forward with massive Medicaid cuts.
"It is a major financial undertaking, that we are going to have significant issues if the federal government doesn't hold true of what they've been representing," Reidy said of hosting the World Cup. "But depending on what teams we get, it could also add another level of safety issues. But the communication and the work with the State Police, Boston Police, local police, fire, EMTs, MEMA is involved, federal partners, is extensive."
