We are now seeing inside Boston Stadium days before the first World Cup match gets underway here. FIFA World Cup 2026 hosted the tour ahead of Saturday night’s kickoff.

The New England Patriots’ beloved Gillette stadium is now Boston Stadium – being fully operated by FIFA World Cup 2026 during the tournament. Kevin Clark is the FIFA venue operations director for the Boston site.

“We are basically integrating and plugging into the stadium’s existing operations to deliver the World Cup-looking field that you see around you here today,” said Clark.

Signs at the home of the New England Patriots stadium are covered – and the turf is now grass, a transition Greg Whatley is managing.

Hear from fans of Ghana’s and Haiti’s soccer teams in Providence and Quincy, respectively, as the teams arrived for celebrations before their World Cup games. Plus, the Scottish team rolled into Boston earlier Thursday.

“It’s a cold-season-type grass, so it’s a mix of bluegrass and ryegrass,” he explained. “A little bit different than some of the stadiums further south.”

Whatley says the field is now referred to as “the pitch” with the most minute details to make sure it meets World Cup standards.

“For us, here [the grass] will be 23 millimeters,” said Whatley. “This is the pinnacle for any player. We’re giving them the stage to perform.”

The stadium itself has seen cosmetic changes like rebranded locker rooms – larger media staging areas for post-match interviews. The bigger changes are outside.

Communities across New England are coming together to watch World Cup matches.

“Really, where the difference comes to is what we’ve taken outside of the building,” said Clark. “Some of the parking lots are no longer parking lots. That’s our broadcasting compound, that’s our dressing and signage storage area.”

FIFA also added these sensory rooms – where someone overwhelmed by the large crowds and cheering can take a timeout. FIFA says the next big lift after Saturday’s opening match – will be making the repairs to the field before the next match.

“As soon as the final whistle goes, we’re going to be out there, repairing divots, mowing and fixing any kind of blemishes or things like that,” said Whatley.

Whatley also explained they installed a vacuum system that can clear water off the pitch if it downpours during a match.