The World Cup is coming to Boston later this week! If you live here, you already know what that means for traffic.
As a company headquartered in Boston with thousands of customers across the city, Flexcar wanted to put together the most relevant driving tips to help you navigate the tournament. Whether you're heading to a match, catching a watch party around town, or just trying to get to work in one piece, this post is worth a read:
1. Know the Match Schedule, and Plan Around It
Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium in Foxborough) is hosting seven World Cup matches between June 13 and July 9. Most of them fall on weekdays, which means they'll overlap directly with evening rush hour. According to the World Cup Boston Host Committee, roads in Downtown Boston are expected to be significantly busier than usual starting up to five hours before kick-off and for up to five hours after the final whistle. Near the stadium in Foxborough, expect congestion for up to four hours before kick-off and three hours after.
The takeaway: if you have flexibility in your schedule on match days, use it. Run your errands earlier, avoid discretionary trips through downtown, or work remotely if that's an option.
2. Consider Skipping the Car
MassDOT has launched a campaign called "Kick the Drive" urging drivers to take public transit on match days rather than driving to or near the stadium.
The MBTA Commuter Rail will run express Boston Stadium Trains between South Station and Foxborough on every match day, with capacity for up to 20,000 fans per match. Tickets are available through the MBTA mTicket app and require a match ticket to purchase.
For those not going to the game, the regular T, subway, and bus lines are still your best bet for getting around the city without the headache. As a bonus, the MBTA is offering free Commuter Rail service on Fridays in June, July, and August 2026, and 50% off monthly passes for those same months (a nice perk for regular commuters).
3. If You're Driving to the Stadium, Use the Right Route
If you do need to drive to a match, MassDOT has published recommended routes to help manage traffic flow:
From Boston: Take I-93 South to I-95 South to Route 1
From north of Boston: Take I-95 South
From the west: Take I-90 East to I-495 South to Route 1 North
From Providence: Take I-95 North to I-495 North to Route 1 North
Expect significant slowdowns along Route 1 near the stadium, and watch for backups in the right lanes near the I-495 Exit 32 interchange. Give yourself plenty of extra time, and don't count on shortcuts through local Foxborough roads. They'll be managed and redirected on match days.
4. Pre-Book Your Parking
This one is critical. Parking at and around Boston Stadium on match days is by pre-paid reservation only, and it's restricted to match ticket holders. According to the World Cup Boston Host Committee, non-ticket holders will be turned away. This applies to all private lots in the stadium area, not just the official venue lots. If you're driving to a match and haven't reserved parking in advance, you won't find a spot once you get there.
If you're not attending a match but happen to be visiting the Patriot Place outlets on a game day, the Host Committee notes that parking there will be protected for shoppers. Still, you should still check ahead and allow extra time.
5. Download the Mass511 App for Real-Time Traffic
Before you head out on any match day — whether you're going to the game or not — download the Mass511 app from MassDOT. It's free and gives you live traffic conditions, incident reports, construction updates, and roadway camera feeds across the region. With the unexpected traffic patterns the World Cup is expected to create, having real-time information on your phone is one of the easiest ways to avoid getting stuck. Available on both the Apple Store and Google Play.
Whether you're a die-hard soccer fan or just trying to make it to your afternoon meeting, a little planning goes a long way this summer. At Flexcar, we're proud to be a Boston company welcoming the world to our city. We want to make sure our drivers are ready for whatever the roads throw at them.