Officials are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to stay in Rhode Island during next summer’s men’s soccer World Cup. It could stretch to more than a million guests, according to Liz Tanner, executive director of Ocean State 2026, the nonprofit promoting Rhode Island’s role in hosting the tournament.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., will host 7 World Cup matches at what will be called “Boston Stadium,” beginning with Haiti vs. Scotland on Saturday, June 13. Gillette Stadium is roughly 25 miles northeast of Providence, which is slightly closer than the 29-mile journey from downtown Boston.
Estimates suggest the extra tourists could bring more than $300 million in economic impact to the state, Tanner said.
“This is the largest event to ever come to New England, not just little old Rhode Island. So we’re really excited about what the possibilities are,” Tanner said. “We’re really excited about the economic opportunity and we really want to capitalize on that.”
Ultimately, Rhode Island does not have enough hotel rooms to accommodate those guests, so expect short-term rentals and homestays to be in demand.
Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., is in the running to be selected as a basecamp by one of the 48 teams participating in the World Cup. It is currently the only possible site in New England. If a team selects Bryant, they would stay at the Graduate Hotel in Providence, according to the FIFA website.
Tanner, who left her position as Rhode Island Commerce Secretary to lead the state’s efforts to promote the World Cup, says she’s hoping the tournament can touch all corners of the state.
“We’re hoping to have a series of events that are soccer-related events,” Tanner said. “The events that we’re looking at would be anywhere from Woonsocket to Westerly, and Cumberland to Bristol. And so being able to cross the entire state to keep those tourists here in Rhode Island – have them spending their dollars in Rhode Island – that’s what we’re aiming to achieve.”
Tanner spoke with Ocean State Media’s Jeremy Bernfeld about what Rhode Islanders can expect from the summer tournament.
Interview highlights
On whether Rhode Island has enough hotel rooms to accommodate the expected crowds
We do not. Neither does really all of New England, to be honest with you. We do expect a large number of vacation rental properties happening. Unusually, we also expect to have a lot of guests staying in people’s homes. So for example, the Portuguese community – huge soccer-loving ethnicity. And I really think you’re going to see a lot of Portuguese folks coming and staying with their families here in Rhode Island.
On how the additional tourists will impact the quality of life for Rhode Islanders
Traffic will be of concern on those seven match days. They are the equivalent of seven Super Bowls coming. So we’re talking about a lot of people who might not even have tickets who are still wanting to get close to the stadium or who just want to celebrate in some way.
The mornings should not be impacted; your afternoons and evenings maybe. We have been out talking to a lot of the trade associations to talk about what that means for their employees as far as what their daily commute is. But what we encourage Rhode Islanders to do is really enjoy the fun of it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have all these different countries here celebrating with us. I say join in the fun and have a good time.
On how the state can capitalize on an increase in visitors
I think from a Rhode Island perspective, of course, what are we highlighting? Our beaches and our food. Those are the things that we’re most popular for now…We know the beaches will be busy next summer, and I’m sure our hospitality industry will fare very well, especially our restaurants.
