Boston Legacy FC will play its entire inaugural season at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., after delays in the redevelopment of White Stadium in Boston, a team spokesperson confirmed.
“With the 2026 NWSL season beginning in 10 months, Boston Legacy FC will play its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium before the club moves into its permanent home at White Stadium in 2027. After nearly two years of community process, including more than 70 public meetings, a landmark lease agreement and a clear victory at trial, White Stadium construction is well underway, but construction will not be finished by March of 2026. For this reason, we have selected Gillette Stadium as an alternate site for 2026 to ensure the consistent, high-level experience our fans and players deserve,” Boston Legacy told The Athletic in a statement.
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The Legacy will share the stadium with MLS’ New England Revolution and also has to work around seven FIFA World Cup matches scheduled for June and July 2026. The team will pay rent to the stadium’s owner, the Kraft Group, led by Robert Kraft, whose son Josh Kraft is running for mayor of Boston and has publicly opposed the White Stadium project.
Boston Legacy signed a 10-year lease with options for two more decades with the city and Boston Public Schools last December. However, the $200 million renovation of the historic Franklin Park venue, which was part of a public-private partnership with the City of Boston, isn’t expected to be completed at least until late 2026.
This timeline eliminates the possibility of a midseason move. The team still has to make a partial-year rent payment to the city next year. The demolition at White Stadium is nearly complete, with only the historic west grandstand and concrete towers remaining. Boston Legacy is responsible for more than half of the $200 million renovation costs.
“Boston Legacy’s home is White Stadium. We have signed a binding agreement with the City of Boston, are contributing over half the cost of the renovation and have committed to spending at least 50 percent of those dollars with local, minority- and women-owned businesses. As part of our lease with the city, we will cover the full cost to operate and maintain White Stadium for decades, as a home for Boston Public Schools athletics and a new public resource in Franklin Park. We will be launching a year of community events, career opportunities and other partnerships in 2026 tied to White Stadium,” the team said.
Since securing its expansion bid in September 2023 and gaining city approval for the stadium renovation the following year, the team and city have collaborated to design, demolish and rebuild a state-of-the-art stadium. The venue will host up to 40 soccer matches and practices annually while also serving as a year-round hub for BPS Athletics and community events.
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The stadium overhaul, which includes a new grass field, an eight-lane track and expanded community access, has garnered support and sparked opposition.
An ongoing lawsuit from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and several residents who live near Franklin Park has contributed to construction delays. The group argued the project would equate to the privatization of public land that was legally mandated to remain public.
Last month, a Superior Court Justice ruled that the renovation of White Stadium was not in violation of state law. The decision was perceived as a major win for the team and the City of Boston, which have supported having a professional women’s soccer team and renovating the historic 10,0000-seat capacity stadium through a public-private partnership.
The team is expected to officially announce the venue shift Thursday. Additional announcements, including the team’s crest reveal June 7 and a head coach hire, are forthcoming.
(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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