Boston's World Cup fan festival will be free, organizers say

Boston will buck a growing trend and make its World Cup fan festival free, organizers confirmed Monday. The news comes as organizers in New York and Los Angeles say they'll charge people to join the fun.

There are still a lot of yet-to-be-announced details for the Boston festival, slated for City Hall Plaza. The city's organizing committee, Boston 26, announced the location in February, but said it would provide more information in the future.

A spokesperson for Boston 26 confirmed the free pricing for the festival and said more details on the event would come "soon."

Government Center is familiar stomping grounds for sports fans; the city often hosts celebrations on the brick expanse, and it's a focal point of championship Duck Boat parades.

Los Angeles organizers last week told Front Office Sports that it would charge  attendees ages 12 and up to take part in any of the area's fan festivals, saying the admission fee allows them to plan for how many people will attend.

Organizers in New York said fans will have to cough up $10 for their central event, and that organizers of other events may also charge for entry, while insisting that "Nobody is making any money on these." The matches will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Boston's no-dollar festival comes amid a growing backlash against World Cup pricing. Tickets for games in Foxborough can run into the thousands of dollars, and that's before the cost of getting to the matches.

The MBTA last week said a ticket on its World Cup "special event" train will run $80, or four times what the authority charges for Patriots and Legacy game trips. Parking at the stadium will run well over $100, more than the typical Patriots game.