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Fans gather outside Gillette Stadium before a New England Patriots game. Foxboro officials are delaying approval of upcoming events as they push the Kraft Group to cover rising public safety costs.

Foxboro officials are holding up approvals for upcoming events at Gillette Stadium, setting up a growing standoff with the Kraft Group over who should pay for rising public safety costs.

The dispute comes at a critical time, with a packed slate of concerts, soccer matches, and other large-scale events on the horizon — and follows months of already tense negotiations tied to this summer’s World Cup matches.

Town Officials Push for More Security Funding

At the center of the issue is money — specifically, who covers the increasing cost of policing, fire services, and event-day operations tied to Gillette Stadium.

Local officials are now seeking stronger financial guarantees from the Kraft Group as part of the stadium’s annual event licensing agreement.

“The chiefs have had concerns what is put in their budget for staffing and other expenses for events are paid by taxpayers,” select board Chairman Billy Yulna said during a public hearing. “We are entrusted with taxpayer funding. There are going to be costs.”

Unlike the recently negotiated World Cup agreement — where the Kraft organization and event partners agreed to fully fund the town’s requested $7.8 million in public safety costs — the broader event license does not yet include those same guarantees.

And that’s where the tension begins.

Gillette’s Busy Event Calendar Raises Stakes

The timing adds pressure.

Gillette Stadium will host roughly host roughly 70 events in 2026 — a sharp increase from previous years.

“That’s a lot of events,” board member Mark Elfman said. “It puts that much more stress on public safety in our town.”

Officials support the events but want clearer financial protections before signing off.

Kraft Group Pushes Back on Proposed Changes

The Kraft Group has not outright rejected the town’s concerns, but representatives signaled they need more time to review the proposed changes.

“It’s perfectly reasonable for the town to raise those concerns,” attorney Gary Roman said. “We just haven’t had discussions yet.”

Roman also raised concerns about specific provisions in the proposal — including a requirement that patrons show a ticket before entering parking lots, arguing it could create additional traffic issues.

Still, town officials maintain that many of the requested changes are not new.

“The magnitude of the changes required are wholesale changes,” Roman said.

But Town Counsel Jay Talerman countered that the updates have been discussed before — particularly during negotiations tied to the World Cup.

“Ninety percent of the license is really the same,” Talerman said.

Why This Matters Now

The delay isn’t just procedural — it has real implications for Gillette Stadium operations.

Without an approved annual license, upcoming events could face uncertainty as both sides work to finalize terms. Officials have already acknowledged the timeline is tight, with major events approaching in the coming weeks.

“Licensed events are coming up in a couple of weeks,” Talerman said. “Time is definitely of the essence.”

Officials have scheduled a special select board meeting as both sides try to reach a resolution.

A Rare Point of Friction

The situation marks a rare public strain in a relationship long defined by cooperation between the town of Foxboro and the Kraft organization.

For decades, Gillette Stadium has operated as a major economic engine for the area — but as the scale and frequency of events continue to grow, so too do the expectations around cost-sharing.

“There have been times some of that relationship has been strained,” Elfman acknowledged.

What Comes Next

Both sides believe they can reach a deal — and soon.

“We’re all going to be better off negotiating the new license,” Roman said.

Town officials expect to finalize an agreement within days and avoid disrupting the stadium’s packed event schedule.

But until then, officials are holding approvals — leaving one of the NFL’s busiest venues facing unusual uncertainty off the field.