Massachusetts National Guard Soldiers are now part of the security picture at Boston Stadium, standing shoulder to shoulder with Foxborough officers during FIFA World Cup events. Photos shared July 20, 2026 by the Foxborough Police Department show members of the 972nd Military Police Company working stadium entrances and the fan-experience zone as part of a wider security operation that town officials have called a notable moment for both the department and the commonwealth. The images were posted after several World Cup match days at the venue this summer.
The department shared the photos and details in the Facebook post below.
In that July 20 post, the department published the images alongside a note attributed to Chief Michael Grace that described the 972nd Military Police Company as "an extension of the Foxborough Police Department" and called the activation "a historic moment for the department and the commonwealth," the Foxborough Police Department wrote. The post also thanked the Massachusetts National Guard and state leaders for approving the additional support.
Guard units on the ground
Soldiers from the Massachusetts National Guard's 972nd Military Police Company were among more than 50 Guardsmen posted around Boston Stadium, assisting local, state and federal law enforcement at entrances and the fan-experience area, according to the Massachusetts National Guard. The Foxborough Police Department’s post called the stadium safety plan "the most robust in the history of the stadium" and said the MPs were involved in both planning and execution of the operation. Imagery and reporting from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service show MPs staffing entry points and a Civil Support Team conducting sweeps, according to DVIDS.
State authorization and scope
State briefings say the deployment was activated at Foxborough's request and approved by Governor Maura Healey and Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe as part of coordinated World Cup preparedness, according to Mass.gov. Those briefings indicated that the commonwealth prepared to activate up to 85 Guardsmen on State Active Duty from June 6 through July 11 to provide limited operational support to local law enforcement, transit agencies and public-safety logistics.
What fans and neighbors should expect
Town and transit officials have warned residents to plan for heavier traffic, revised parking setups and extra MBTA Commuter Rail service on match days, and have posted staging and queuing guidance near Foxboro station, per the Town of Foxborough. The FAA has established temporary no-drone zones around the stadium and fan-event areas during active match windows to protect public safety, according to the FAA. Local officials emphasize that the Guard's mission is supplemental and temporary, with primary policing duties remaining with the Foxborough Police Department.
For Foxborough, the photographs are a visible reminder of the scale of coordination required to host international sporting events on home turf. Officials have framed the Guard's presence as a supporting role that helped local officers manage what they describe as one of the busiest public-safety operations in the stadium's history. Residents with questions are directed to the town's World Cup information pages or the Foxborough Police Department's social channels for match-day updates.
