This summer, the World Cup is coming to the Northeast. Just a 20-minute drive from Brown’s campus, the Ghanaian men’s soccer team will be at Bryant University rigorously preparing for their FIFA World Cup matches. At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts — a 45-minute drive from Rhode Island — seven world cup matches will take place.
To maximize the economic impact of the cup, Gov. Dan McKee announced the creation of Ocean State 2026, a nonprofit organization that aims to “facilitate business sponsorships of 39 days of events across Rhode Island” during the World Cup.
With various games occurring so close to the Ocean State, the World Cup presents a unique opportunity for Rhode Island, McKee said in the press release. The event “showcases Rhode Island on the global stage — and we’re ready to seize it,” McKee said.
The objective of Ocean State 2026 is to “help market Rhode Island as a premier destination for visitors who are traveling to the region to attend World Cup matches,” Elizabeth Tanner, the organization’s executive director, wrote in an email to The Herald.
Tanner noted that Rhode Island anticipates up to 1 million visitors, which the organization hopes will garner an estimated $330 million in business revenue.
Robert Piechota, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Rhode Island office, added that the market of customers “is going to potentially double in size for Rhode Island businesses.”
Ocean State 2026 is capitalizing on this chance. “This presents an incredible opportunity for our tourism, hospitality and small business communities,” Tanner wrote.
Piechota added that while Rhode Island is used to large influxes of visitors, the World Cup offers an opportunity for people to stop and patronize businesses in the state rather than just passing through. Rhode Island is “planning accordingly,” he said.
The City of Providence has specifically applied for a FIFA Fan Zone license, “which would create a central gathering space for fans to watch matches and celebrate the tournament,” Tanner wrote.
One of the organization’s main initiatives is the R.I. Summer of Soccer, which will connect visitors with all the local events and cultural experiences that Rhode Island has to offer, Tanner wrote.
The organization is also working on country-specific experiences meant to highlight the “culture, food and traditions” of the countries playing in Gillette, all “while bringing fans together,” she added.
The Ghanaian team’s decision to come to Rhode Island came after an “extensive search” spanning the northeast and midwest, Ghana Football Association spokesperson Henry Asante Twum wrote in an email to The Herald.
The team chose Bryant as their training hub due to its “excellent sports infrastructure, focused training environment away from major city distractions and warm reception from the local stakeholders,” Asante Twum explained.
He wrote that Bryant’s “top-tier” strength and conditioning facilities, recovery areas and pitches are necessary for what “an elite team needs for a high-stakes preparation like the World Cup.”
Ocean State 2026 is coordinating with Rhode Island’s Ghanaian community to plan events that celebrate the national team as well as Ghanaian culture more generally, Tanner wrote.
Engaging with the local community is “very important” to the team, Asante Twum added. While the team’s practices are typically closed to the public, they intend “to host open training sessions and community outreach events, giving local fans and especially aspiring young footballers a chance to connect with the team.”
The team also intends to support local businesses by sourcing services and supplies from within the state, according to Asante Twum.
“Our presence is not just about training,” he wrote. “It’s about building bridges and leaving a positive impact.”
Laila Posner is a senior staff writer covering business and development.
