BOSTON -- The second 2026 World Cup match at Boston Stadium put on display the challenge local organizers face in efficiently shuttling tens of thousands of fans from downtown Boston to Foxborough amid the region’s already brutal weekday commuter traffic. Fortunately, the more than 63,000 fans who made the 30-mile journey were rewarded with a spectacular display by one of the world’s top soccer stars, as Erling Haaland netted two goals in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq.
Boston Stadium is regarded as one of the more difficult major U.S. sports venues to reach under ordinary circumstances. Its suburban location, limited public-transit options and congestion on Route 1 all contribute to headaches for Patriots fans and concertgoers.
Those fundamental difficulties, combined with the unique nature of a weekday World Cup match, created a perfect storm of traffic for those traveling by car or shuttle bus from downtown Boston to Tuesday’s 6pm ET match. The bumper-to-bumper crawl was relentless throughout the journey, with some fans who left the city before 3pm finding their seats just moments before kickoff. Team buses and FIFA-branded SUVs were escorted through the gridlock by police.
Traffic returning to Boston after the match was considerably less severe, with shuttle buses arriving back within city limits around an hour after pulling out of the parking lots.
The two major alternatives to driving from downtown Boston to Foxborough are commuter rail for $80 round trip and shuttle buses provided by local organizers, with round-trip fares reaching as high as $95. Official stadium parking cost $175, with nearby businesses advertising parking for $50-$75.
In addition to the traffic, the match was marred by the first notable field-conditions issue of the competition. At halftime, one of the sprinklers that emerged to water the pitch began gushing rather than spraying, creating a noticeable puddle near the top of one penalty area.
Around a dozen grounds crew members spread sand over the affected area to absorb the excess water, while the malfunction forced officials to cut short the watering cycle for the rest of the field. In his postgame press conference, Norway coach Ståle Solbakken criticized the surface as “tinder dry.”
Both countries’ supporters were well represented among the near-capacity crowd, though Norway fans outnumbered Iraq fans by at least a 2-to-1 margin. There were also plenty of neutrals in attendance for a match with one of the lowest get-in prices of the tournament so far, at $490, according to TicketData.com.
Downtown Boston was awash with soccer fans earlier in the day, before the exodus to Foxborough began in the early afternoon. Hundreds were waiting to enter the city’s FIFA Fan Festival at City Hall Plaza when the gates opened just before 2pm.
Scotland fans, who reportedly drank several local bars out of beer over the weekend, were still out on the town as they awaited another match in Boston on Friday against Morocco. Many were wearing exclusive Red Sox soccer jerseys distributed to fans who purchased tickets through the MLB team’s Scottish Celebration offer for Sunday’s game.
