“I’m feeling good,” said select board chair Bill Yukna. “We did, I think, a very good job getting it documented and making sure that there won’t be any surprises to us. I’m happy to see that basically not only did they support us in this but they realized that what we needed was we weren’t asking for anything special, if you will, just to cover our costs.”
Before the vote, Gary Ronan, a lawyer representing the Boston 26 host committee that serves as FIFA’s fundraising and operational arm, went over the high-points of the license, including the security funding elements that gummed up the works in the first place.
“You all have worked very hard and done what you need to do to protect the inhabitants, the citizens and the residents of Foxborough and we appreciate your efforts, and we appreciate your willingness to work with us to solve the issues that were involved,” said Ronan.
“I want to recognize that holding a World Cup soccer game, or seven World Cup soccer games, is not easy, it’s hard anywhere you do it.”
Yukna was asked if he was surprised that the issue took so long to resolve.
“Honestly, yes, just because they knew what the requirements were going to be,” he said. “Unfortunately, it just seemed like Boston 26 was behind the 8-ball from a funding point of view.”
Foxborough Police chief Michael Grace, whose requests for equipment and personnel created the toughest hurdles for negotiators, said that planning for safety never stopped during the licensing negotiations.
“The requirement by the federal government to throw assets and resources at these events has been substantial and we are working with all the federal agencies” as well as state and county security personnel for “their buy-in and their commitment to help support this on a regional level,” said Grace. “They are all in and we are in a great spot to host seven amazing events here in Foxborough, where we will be in the limelight of the world.
“These matches will bring excitement that this town has never seen and I bet you in the next 86, 89 days at this point you’ll see the ramp up and we’re in a great spot from the security center.”
Federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security is expected to be freed up in the coming days or weeks.
Ian Cox, a Scottish-born Foxborough resident, spoke of his dismay that Boston 26 seemed so far behind in planning, especially on the transportation front.
“This board has done its job and I’m asking for Boston 2026 to do its,” said Cox.
“We know we have a lot of work to do,” Boston 26 president Mike Loynd said shortly after the vote. “We are very comfortable that that work has been in place for over two years now and that the details will roll up over the next few weeks.”