Massachusetts High School Football Finals Lose Gillette Stadium as Host, Ending a Run Since 2007 Over Scheduling Conflicts
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) announced on November 2 that the 2026 state high school football championship games will not be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, ending a run of finals held there annually since 2007. MIAA spokesperson Jim Clark said the association was informed late the previous week that Gillette Stadium was no longer an option, and that with the 2026 tournament beginning this week, the association will work to secure host sites providing the best championship experience for student-athletes and school communities.
The finals are scheduled for the weekend of December 5, with the New England Patriots set to host the Buffalo Bills on December 6; the New England Revolution of MLS could also host playoff games on December 2 and 5. A Gillette Stadium spokesperson confirmed the same day that scheduling constraints and logistics from the Revolution's playoff schedule and the Patriots' December 6 home game make it unable to host the finals this year, noting the stadium and the Kraft family have donated the venue for nearly two decades and hope to host again in the future.
The association said a new venue has yet to be secured; last season, Massachusetts was one of nine states holding state championships at NFL stadiums.
(Source: USA Today)
Source: USA Today
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Photo: 图：马萨诸塞州 Foxborough 的吉列体育场全景。Kenneth C. Zirkel 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. By Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
