Seven FIFA World Cup games that were set to be held in Massachusetts are in question after a delay in federal funding left a small town fearful it might be stuck paying millions in security costs.
The seven games are set to be played at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, one of 11 U.S. cities that are hosting World Cup games this summer. But the town, which is in metropolitan Boston, has to approve licenses for the games to be held. Its Select Board is reluctant to do that after funds the U.S. government promised to help guarantee security were delayed.
More than $600 million was aside in federal grant money in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” budget to assist the cities hosting the World Cup. The funds were supposed to be distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency by Jan. 30, according to the agency’s website.
But the cities have yet to receive the money.
FEMA said in a statement it shared with NBC News that it was in the final stages of awarding the grants when its funding lapsed last month.
It said its grants management system “is not operational,” as much of its workforce has been furloughed.
“Only limited, exempt staff can continue restricted work, and overall grant processing capacity is materially reduced,” the statement said. “Delays in appropriations directly affect DHS’s ability to finalize awards and support host jurisdictions.”
That has left Foxborough’s Select Board worried that its taxpayers will be on the hook for nearly $8 million in public safety expenses for staffing and equipment.
Representatives for Boston 26, the city’s host committee, tried to reassure the board members at a meeting Tuesday. Gary Ronan, an attorney representing the host committee, said Boston 26 would pick up the bill with the backing of Kraft Sports Group, the holding company led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“The thing that rings loud and clear is that you all wanted an answer to a very simple question, which is where is the money coming from,” Ronan said. “Who is going to make sure that the town is not left holding the bag?”
Despite the new backing and assurances from the city’s host committee, some board members remained skeptical. Bill Yukna, the board’s chair, pointed out that the town is already past the date for when officials said they would need certain equipment for the public safety plan.
“For us to do what the [Foxborough police and fire] chiefs need takes time first of all for installation, for programming, for training,” Yukna said. “It takes time to get the materials.”
The board will vote on whether to approve the license at a public hearing March 17. Stephanie A. McGowan, its vice chair, said that no one wants to reject the license but that they might have to if the issue remains unresolved.
“We have two weeks’ time, and if we come in on the 17th and we don’t have the right information, we’ll have no choice but to vote no,” McGowan said.
Foxborough is not the only city where World Cup festivities are at risk because of a lack of funding, as millions are expected to travel to the U.S. for one of the world’s largest sporting events.
At a House Homeland Security Committee meeting last week, Joseph Mabin, the deputy police chief in Kansas City, Missouri, testified that the police department does not have the resources to cover the game and the fan festival areas.
“We just don’t have enough officers within my own department to cover all the threats,” Mabin said.
Kansas City’s host committee did not respond to a request for comment.
Raymond Martinez, the chief operating officer of Miami’s host committee, also testified about the urgent need for the $70 million that was promised. He warned that the city was encroaching on the deadline to pay contracts to vendors.
“I know that the local agencies are very anxious,” Martinez said. “But without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination.”
The Miami host committee directed NBC News to a statement it issued after the meeting saying it “remains confident that the appropriate federal resources will be allocated in a timely and coordinated manner.”
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering a safe, seamless and memorable experience that showcases Miami-Dade County on the world stage,” it said.
The Department of Homeland Security did not answer a question about why the grants were not awarded by the Jan. 30 deadline, two weeks before the funding lapse.
Democrats have opposed approving more funding to the embattled department because of criticism of how it has been operating in recent months.
