MIAA Drops Gillette Stadium for 2026 High School Football Finals

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced on Monday that the Division 1 through 8 football championships will not be played at Gillette Stadium this year. The association stated that it was informed late last week that using the Foxborough venue for the 2026 tournament was no longer possible. The title games are scheduled to begin in four weeks, and the MIAA is currently working to secure replacement sites.

Gillette Stadium has hosted the state high school football finals since 2007. A spokesperson for the stadium cited scheduling constraints and logistics as the reasons for the change. The New England Revolution’s potential home playoff games on Dec. 2 and 5 would require the team to practice on the turf the day before. Additionally, the New England Patriots have a home game against the Buffalo Bills scheduled for Dec. 6. The MIAA must conclude the football season by the first week of December due to its winter sports calendar.

The MIAA said it would work diligently to find host sites that provide the best championship experience for student athletes and school communities. Reilly Christie, the Malden Catholic athletic director and state football tournament director, said the association is assessing all options across the state. The search requires finding a single field or multiple fields with suitable parking, seating, locker rooms, lights, and concessions.

Tournament revenues have declined in recent years while administrative costs have risen. The MIAA receives $7 of every $20 ticket sold at Gillette Stadium. Service fees included in ticket prices reduce the association's direct revenue. Attendance has been inconsistent in a stadium that seats more than 64,000. Last year, poor weather resulted in a combined attendance of 16,800 for the eight Super Bowl games. That number was down from approximately 19,000 in 2024 and around 22,000 in prior years.

Brian St. Pierre, the head coach at St. John’s Prep and the No. 1 seed in Division 1, called the late development shocking. He noted that the MIAA will be scrambling to find a venue a month before the games. St. Pierre, a former NFL quarterback, said that while playing in an NFL stadium is great for players, the large size of Gillette makes it difficult to feel the crowd's energy. He suggested Boston College or Harvard as suitable alternatives. Randolph coach Jon Marshall asked if Curry College or another nearby institution would step up to host the event.

The MIAA uses a mix of professional, college, and high school sites for its other championships. Basketball finals are played at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. Hockey games are held at TD Garden. Baseball is played at Polar Park in Worcester. Indoor track events take place at the Track at New Balance in Brighton. MIT and Boston University host swimming competitions. Soccer, volleyball, and field hockey finals are contested at high schools.

When the MIAA moved football to Gillette in 2007, Patriots owner Robert Kraft expressed excitement about hosting the event. The move was facilitated by the installation of artificial turf, which allowed for multiple games without damaging the surface. Kraft stated at the time that the family wanted to encourage youth sports and identify with local athletes. He expressed hope that the high school Super Bowls would be played at the stadium for as long as he was alive.

Coaches expressed hope that the move to a new venue is temporary. Derek Almeida, the Fairhaven coach, said that the prospect of playing at Gillette drives players to work hard. He noted that the venue serves as the epicenter of New England sports. Marshall said his program values the unique experiences gained from playing in Foxborough. He hopes the MIAA finds a venue of distinction for this year's title games.

The MIAA must finalize its plans within the next four weeks to provide a memorable championship experience for student athletes. The association has indicated that it will do everything it can to secure the necessary facilities in time for the tournament.