World Cup fan festivities already sold out Friday, Saturday
[Source via Boston Herald By Lance Reynolds]
The FIFA Fan Festival is set to open at Boston City Hall Plaza on Friday, but officials say soccer fans who are looking to get in at the door will have to go elsewhere to watch the World Cup.
The festivities are already sold out on Friday and Saturday, according to officials.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is encouraging fans to try to grab a spot for the other 14 days of the festival, through June 27. At the same time, she recommends people interested in the excitement to start planning to attend alternative watch parties.
“I also want to be clear that for all of this, throughout the entire time, safety is our number one priority,” Wu said. “We want Fan Fest to be fun and welcoming for everyone, so please just be mindful of increased pedestrian traffic around City Hall, make a plan for how to get here, and register online in advance if you want to attend Fan Fest.”
“Because of capacity, and because of such interest,” the mayor added, “registration doesn’t guarantee entry if the plaza reaches capacity.”
Nearly 150,000 fans have already registered to attend the fan festival, said Mike Loynd, the president and CEO of the Boston Soccer 2026 nonprofit host committee. He noted that capacity is set to 5,000 fans at any one time.
Fans must select the day(s) and match(es) they want to attend the fan festival, and children under 18 must submit a parent/guardian waiver.
“We wanted to give everyone an even chance,” Loynd said, “and we certainly didn’t want to have just a first-come, first-served structure.”
The festival is set to feature live broadcasts of two to three matches a day, musical performances, a curated cultural showcase, and local food vendors. On Saturday and Sunday, Haiti fans and the “Tartan Army” will participate in fan walks around City Hall Plaza, with parking restrictions in effect for all events.
“This is going to be the epic epicenter of Boston soccer football for the next 16 days,” Meet Boston President and CEO Martha Sheridan said. “When you’re standing outside, and you hear the volume on this screen, you know this is going to excite the entire city.”
Elsewhere in the city, the Wu administration is sponsoring community watch parties in Dorchester, East Boston, and at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common, among other venues to be announced.
As World Cup ticket costs soar, at least 500 city residents will head to Foxboro to watch games live at Gillette Stadium, rebranded as “Boston Stadium.”
Wu said Thursday that her office has worked with “private sector partners” Boston Soccer 2026 and the state Legislature to secure over 500 “free” tickets for community members, particularly children and their families.
“Soccer belongs to the people,” the mayor said.
