FIFA World Cup Cities: Boston

Known as the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston is proud of its role in the country's founding - and of its sports teams.

The Massachusetts State House near Boston Common.

Though its residents are devoted to its baseball, basketball, football and hockey teams, and proud to host the Boston Marathon, they can also boast that Boston is the site of one of the first soccer matches outside of England. According to the Society for American Soccer History, an early version of the global game was played in Boston Common in 1862.

Outside Fenway Park - the home of Boston's Red Sox baseball team

The sports-minded city is full of energy as it anticipates the upcoming matches.

This year's tournament, to be held June 11 to July 19, will be the largest since its inception in 1930 and will feature 48 national teams playing 104 matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Matches at Boston Stadium begin June 13, when Haiti takes on Scotland, and finish with a quarter-final game July 9. England, France, Ghana, Haiti, Morocco, Norway and Scotland are scheduled to play in Boston.

According to Meet Boston, a private-sector marketing and visitors organization, 2 million people are expected to visit the city for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. These soccer fans will arrive as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding and get a unique glimpse of U.S. history.

Freedom Trail, a historical walking tour of Boston.

The Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) path, starts at Boston Common and passes 16 Revolutionary-era sites. Highlights include the house where silversmith-turned-revolutionary Paul Revere lived; the Old North Church, where clergy hung lanterns to signal the arrival of British by sea; and the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

Boston Harbor will host Sail Boston July 11 to 16, opening tall ships from around the world to tourists.

Other attractions include the New England Aquarium and the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. Art lovers can stop by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

In Salem, Massachusetts, a 30-minute train ride north, tourists can see historical sites from the Salem witch trials of 1692.

The Swan Boats at Boston Common.

The oceanside city is famous for seafood restaurants and the city's North End offers authentic Italian cuisine. Faneuil Hall Marketplace - another stop on the Freedom Trail - is another spot for shops and food. Other activities include a stroll on the Boston Harborwalk, a 43-mile (69-kilometer) shoreline park connecting waterfront neighborhoods to Boston Harbor or a harbor cruise.

"Make Way for Ducklings" at Boston Common.

Visitors can expect mild weather, with average upper temperatures in the high 70s Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) and average lows around 63 Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).

Halal food at Black Seed Café and Grill opposite Boston Common

"Boston is such a fun and exciting and historic city," said Georgie Head, of Charles River Boat Company, which offers boat tours.

Susan Milligan is a freelance writer.

Text © US State Department, Pictures © Irhal