I can’t promise that 2026 will be the best year ever. But there are plenty of things to look forward to in Massachusetts.
Here are some of the biggest highlights from the upcoming calendar year, including some of the most exciting events and some things that we really hope will happen before 2026 closes.
1) World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium
Get ready for soccer madness this summer. We’re less than six months away from Massachusetts being part of one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
Starting in mid-June, Gillette is set to host seven World Cup matches over the course of about a month.
- Saturday, June 13: Haiti vs. Scotland
- Tuesday, June 16: Norway vs. TBD
- Friday, June 19: Scotland vs. Morocco
- Tuesday, June 23: England vs. Ghana
- Friday, June 26: Norway vs. France
- Monday, June 29: Round of 32 Match
- Thursday, July 9: Quarterfinal Match
2) America’s 250th birthday
July 4, 2026 marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence (the country’s “semiquincentennial”). To mark the occasion, Massachusetts is set to host loads of historical events.
Throughout the year, there are the usual events like the reenactment of Paul Revere’s Ride and the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.
You can check out more events on the “Boston 250″ page and the “Massachusetts 250″ page.
3) Sail Boston: Tall Ships return to Boston
Boston Harbor will be the host to some of the most magnificent wooden maritime vessels in the world as the tall ships return to the city for Sail Boston 2026.
From July 11-16, tall ships from 25 different countries will be docked in Boston. The public can see the ships and come aboard for free during visitation hours.
Sail Boston 2026 starts with the Parade of Sail on July 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to Sail Boston, the best places to see the ships come in are “Castle Island, the Seaport District, the Boston Waterfront, East Boston, the North End and Charlestown.”
4) The 495-Mass. Pike interchange being closer to finished (hopefully)
We’re entering year three of construction at the crossroads of Interstate 495 and the Mass. Pike.
No, it won’t be completed this year. Original projections had it wrapping up in 2027.
But we’re already starting to see some progress. The ramp from the Pike eastbound to 495 southbound is a nice improvement. Hopefully, things will get a little less messy this year.
5) Checking out other music festivals while Boston Calling takes the year off
Boston Calling, typically the biggest music festival in Massachusetts, is on hiatus in 2026. That means it’s an opportunity for other festivals in the state to shine.
For those missing Boston Calling, here are some other festivals you can check out:
- Something in the Way Festival | Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Roadrunner Boston
- Levitate Music Festival | July 18-19 at the Marshfield Fairgrounds
- Breakaway Music Festival | Aug. 21-22 in Worcester
6) Checking out the really good music festivals in Western Mass.
If you want to find some of the best settings for live music festivals in the state, you need to head out west.
- Strange Creek Campout | May 22-25 at Camp Keewanee in Greenfield
- Green River Music Festival | June 19-21 in Greenfield
- Solid Sound Festival | June 26-28 at Mass MoCA in North Adams
Don’t let the drive scare you off. You’ll probably spend less time in the car than you would in the lines at Boston Calling.
7) Notre Dame vs. Navy Football at Gillette Stadium on Halloween
We’ve got loads of special events at Gillette this year. One of them will be the latest edition of the ongoing rivalry game between the Fighting Irish and the Midshipmen.
The two teams have faced off every year (save for the canceled game in 2020) since 1927, making it the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in college football.
8) T Market opening at the Natick Mall (hopefully)
We lost the Wegmans grocery store at the Natick Mall back in 2023. But we’re set to get an exciting replacement in that space soon.
We got news last year that T Market, a high-end Asian grocery store, is set to open up at the Natick Mall. At the time, the store was expected to open by the end of 2025. Clearly, there have been some delays. Hopefully, we’ll see T Market open its door before long this year.
In the meantime, you can always check out Seabra in Worcester. It’s a supermarket that specializes in products from Portugal, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico and Spain.
9) Wormtown Brewery reopening in Worcester
Wormtown Brewery’s flagship location on Shrewsbury Street has been closed since the summer for renovations. Earlier this month, the brewery announced plans to reopen in spring 2026.
That’s welcome news. There have been a lot of changes in Worcester’s beer scene. Redemption Rock closed. Greater Good was acquired by the Barrel One Collective. Back in 2024, Wormtown itself was acquired by the parent company of Jack’s Abby.
10) Carrie Underwood at Tanglewood
Underwood at Tanglewood? It sounds like the perfect fit. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra brings in a handful of big-name acts each year to perform in the gorgeous Berkshire County setting.
James Taylor is also performing (as he usually does). Meanwhile, Weird Al Yankovic also has a show.
11) Seeing Boston restaurants try to step up for Michelin stars
In 2025, we saw the Michelin Guide release its first-ever picks for Boston.
Just one restaurant, 311 Omakase (one star), received a Michelin star.
Will Boston restaurants step up their game to try and land more stars? Will Boston get some more respect? The Michelin Guide ratings come out annually, so we’ll find out later in the year.
12) Seeing what Springfield Crossing turns into
It’s good to see new business developments in Springfield. The latest project is Springfield Crossing, which is seeing a cluster of new businesses move in to where the old Eastfield Mall used to be.
BJ’s Wholesale Club and gas station have opened, as well as a couple other stores and a Chick-fil-A. But apparently everyone’s getting a Chick-fil-A these days.
13) New chicken spots opening everywhere
Fried chicken joints are proliferating around the state. This year’s additions included the Chick-fil-A in Springfield, a Raising Cane’s in Framingham and Worcester and NU Chicken in Worcester.
In 2026, Massachusetts will get another Chick-fil-A, this one in Foxborough.
14) Women’s professional soccer coming to Massachusetts
This year will mark the debut of the state’s newest professional sports franchise, Boston Legacy FC of the NWSL.
The club’s first match is set for Saturday, March 14 at Gillette Stadium. Most of the team’s matches will be played in Foxborough this season. Next season? That’s another issue entirely.
15) The White Stadium saga finally ending (hopefully)
The original plan was for Boston Legacy FC to play its games at White Stadium in Franklin Park. However, the proposed renovation has been met with fierce opposition and has resulted in a mess of red tape.
Will it finally get figured out this year? Who knows.
16) The Worcester IceCats and Worcester Kelley Squares
One of the great new trends in lower-level sports has been the rise of alternative identities. This year, Worcester has some great ones.
On Jan. 9-10, the Worcester Railers will host IceCats Weekend. For those games, the team will take the ice as the Worcester IceCats, a callback to the ’90s Worcester minor-league hockey team.
Meanwhile, the Worcester Red Sox will be taking on multiple alternate identities this year. In September, they’ll play as the “Pawtucket Hot Wieners,” “The Art of the Woo” and the “Worcester Kelley Squares.”
17) Savannah Bananas at Gillette Stadium
The Savannah Bananas are coming back. But after a couple of years of playing at the home of the Boston Red Sox, the exhibition baseball team is moving to the home of the New England Patriots.
How will a baseball game at Gillette Stadium work? Who knows. But the Bananas have done stranger things in the past.
18) Harvard vs. Yale football at Fenway Park
We’ve got baseball at a football stadium. So how about football at a baseball stadium?
This one is much more common. It’s only been a few days since Army played UConn in the 2025 Fenway Bowl. Meanwhile, Fenway Park hosted the Ivy League rivalry between the Crimson and Bulldogs back in 2018 as well.
19) The New England Patriots hosting a home playoff game again
In addition to all the special events, we’ve also got some important Patriots games happening at Gillette Stadium soon.
After clinching the AFC East, the Patriots have guaranteed themselves at least one home playoff game. We don’t know when the game will be or who it will be against. Heck, New England could even have a first-round bye.
What we do know is that New England will host a playoff game for the first time since Tom Brady’s last appearance with the Patriots at the end of the 2019 season.
20) Zach Bryan and Ed Sheeran shows at Gillette Stadium
You may be noticing a trend here. A lot of the year’s biggest events are happening at Gillette Stadium.
But it makes sense. When you’ve got big acts like Zach Bryan and Ed Sheeran coming to town, it helps to put the show in a giant stadium.
Ed Sheeran will be playing two shows at Gillette on Sept. 25 and 26. Zach Bryan is also playing two nights, Oct. 2 and 3.
