Boston Legacy FC officially entered the professional women’s soccer scene on Saturday, holding their inaugural match at Gillette Stadium while their permanent home, White Stadium, continues under construction. The 1–0 defeat to Gotham FC marked a milestone: the return of professional women’s soccer to New England, a void left since the Boston Breakers folded in 2018.
Early on game day, construction crews were already at work at White Stadium in Franklin Park, Boston, as ice melted into puddles across the site. The full stadium remains months away, with Legacy splitting home matches this season between Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I.
White Stadium has been a point of local contention. Critics of the public-private project raised concerns over rising city costs and community access, with a lawsuit from local residents and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy now awaiting a state supreme court hearing on April 8. Despite opposition, some nearby residents voiced support, citing the need for modern facilities, community engagement, and the return of professional women’s soccer to the region.
Gillette Stadium posed logistical challenges for fans, with traffic and distance a major concern. Yet 30,207 fans made the trip, nearly tripling last year’s NWSL regular-season average and setting a new record for an expansion team’s inaugural home game. That record will hold only until fellow expansion side Denver Summit FC opens its home campaign, with over 50,000 tickets already sold.
For many fans, the debut was a surreal and emotional experience. Missy from Somerville, MA, recalled volunteering for the old Breakers and said: “It’s incredible to see the growth of women’s soccer across the nation, and for Boston to finally have a team again—it’s iconic. The jump from Jordan Field to Gillette Stadium is kind of crazy.â€
Even amid construction and logistical hurdles, Boston Legacy FC’s first step on the professional stage underscores the growing momentum of women’s soccer in the U.S., both on and off the pitch.