Rhode Island May Generate $100M+ From World Cup Games Coming to Gillette in 2026
Tuesday, February 06, 2024
In years past, when the New England Patriots hosted the AFC Championship, a game being played at Gillette was worth millions to Providence in hotel and restaurant spending, as well as ancillary travel revenue.
But only a small fraction of the stadium was filled with fans from the visiting teams, and supporters coming to watch their team did not stay much more than a weekend.
The seven newly announced World Cup games to be played at Gillette Stadium in 2026 may conservatively generate $100 million for the Rhode Island economy -- and they could be worth significantly more.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTInitially, The Boston Consulting Group’s research had estimated that Boston could “expect an estimated 450,000 visitors hailing from Europe, South America and across the globe, with a projected net economic impact of up to $500 million."
That projection was based on five games coming to the region. The good news is the region won seven games. Thus, a windfall to the regional economy
The projections by BCG were developed in 2017.
Boston
The following game dates were just announced by FIFA for Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
June 13, 2026: Group stage
June 16, 2026: Group stage
June 19, 2026: Group stage
June 23, 2026: Group stage
June 26, 2026: Group stage
June 29, 2026: Round of 32
July 9, 2026: Quarterfinal
As GoLocal reported in 2022, Gillette was selected as a host venue — and Providence and Rhode Island hotels and restaurants are expected to see a major windfall.
“The World Cup is a tremendous opportunity to position Rhode Island on an international stage. We will be working with our tourism partners to market Providence and the surrounding region as a cost-effective, convenient, and exciting alternative to Boston,” said Kristen Adamo, PWCVB president and CEO at the time.
Some of the hotel bookings in Providence may compete with college graduations. But Newport generally has availability prior to the July 4th weekend.
FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the largest to date, with 80 matches across three countries featuring 48 teams from around the world.
The qualification process will take place between 2023 and 2025, with over 200 countries vying to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026
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