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The MBTA's (controversially priced) Boston World Cup train tickets go on sale today. Here's what to know
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The Trump administration says the U.S. and Israel will stop bombing Iran for two weeks as part of a ceasefire agreement that includes Iran allowing ships to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. International stock markets surged, and oil prices dropped, on the news. Still, some members of Congress are alarmed about Trump's threats to wipe out the Iranian civilization if the country didn't reopen the strait. More than three dozen congressional Democrats — including several from Massachusetts — are calling for Trump's removal from office over the ultimatum.
NPR has the latest updates on the ceasefire (which Israel is arguing does not apply its offensive in Lebanon) here. Now, to local news:
Ticket to kick it: MBTA train tickets for the first five World Cup games at Gillette Stadium this June go on sale at 11 a.m. today. Officials are encouraging soccer fans to act fast if they want to secure one of the 20,000 spots in those purple commuter rail train seats. The T is planning to run 14 trains a day, express from South Station to Foxborough, for each game at "Boston Stadium." But the agency is also facing criticism over its $80 pricing for the roundtrip tickets. Here's what to know:
- Where do I buy a ticket: You'll need to download the MBTA's mTicket mobile app and buy them ahead of time. You won't be able to buy tickets at the station. (Check out the boarding schedule for each game here.)
- Do I need a match ticket to buy a train ticket? The answer from the T is that you "should." According to the agency, riders must register in the mTicket app with the email address they used to purchase World Cup match tickets. "In the event that a Boston Stadium Train ticket holder is found to not hold a World Cup match ticket, their Boston Stadium Train ticket may be cancelled," MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston told me in an email. Staff at South Station will be checking that riders have match tickets before they board the trains and riders without them will not be allowed to board. Train tickets also cannot be transferred or resold.
- Why are they so expensive? Typically, the MBTA's event trains for Patriots games and concerts at Gillette cost $20. T officials have reasoned that the $80 tickets are worth more because they also access grant to the entire commuter rail network on the day of the game — in case riders are coming from outside Boston. The T has also separately pointed out that it's running "unprecedented" levels of service and invested $35 million in upgrading Foxboro station for these games. Plus, it beats sitting in traffic for two hours and paying $150 to reserve one of the limited stadium parking spots. "Taking the Commuter Rail will be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get to and from the Stadium," MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said in a statement.
- Yeah, but: That hasn't quelled the criticism from soccer fans who already feel pinched (if not priced out) by exorbitant World Cup ticket prices. The Football Supporters' Association, which represents English soccer fans, said it is "incredibly disappointed" by the T's up-charged ticket prices. (England will play Ghana in one of the five group stage games at Gillette.) "For a stadium so far away from its advertised location, all organisers had a duty to ensure supporters could get there sustainably and for a fair price," the group wrote on social media. "Unfortunately, like much with this tournament, supporters are gouged."
- What's next: You'll have to wait if you're looking to buy train tickets for the Round of 32 and quarterfinal World Cup matches at Gillette. The T says those tickets will go on sale "closer to the match dates." More details on those will be announced later.
In other soccer-related news: The future of White Stadium in Boston's Franklin Park goes before Massachusetts' highest court this morning. WBUR's Eve Zuckoff reports that the state's Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments for and against the Emerald Necklace Conservancy's lawsuit to block city's redevelopment of the stadium with the Boston Legacy, the region's new NWSL team. (A lower court judge has already ruled in the city's favor, but the conservancy appealed to the SJC.)
- The stakes: Construction is already underway on the $325 million project. If the SJC overturns the lower court ruling and determines the stadium is protected parkland under state law, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu would need a two-thirds vote of approval from the state's Legislature to continue the project.
P.S.— NASA has released the first photos taken by Artemis II astronauts during their historic flight around the moon — and they're pretty spectacular. (If you're reading this on your phone now's the time to switch to a bigger screen.) Click here to see their photos of an "Earthset," solar eclipse, moon craters and more.
