New England Revolution
The New England Revolution are a professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area, competing in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded as one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, the Revolution have been a fixture of American professional soccer since the league's inaugural 1996 season. The club plays its home matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a facility shared with the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Over the course of their history, the Revolution have appeared in multiple MLS Cup finals and have helped cultivate a growing soccer culture across New England and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[1]
History
The New England Revolution were established in 1995 and began competitive play when MLS launched its inaugural season in 1996. As one of the ten founding clubs of the league, the Revolution hold a distinctive place in the history of American soccer. The club was formed alongside other charter franchises in a deliberate effort to build a sustainable professional soccer ecosystem in the United States following the success of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted in part at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts. That proximity to a World Cup host city gave the region a natural connection to the sport and helped lay the groundwork for MLS's arrival in New England.
Throughout the early years of the league, the Revolution established themselves as a competitive Eastern Conference side, reaching the MLS Cup final on multiple occasions without securing the championship title. The club developed a reputation for fielding competitive rosters and producing memorable playoff runs, endearing themselves to supporters across the region. Significant organizational changes over the decades have brought new ownership structures, coaching staff, and player personnel policies that have shaped the modern identity of the club. The Revolution's history reflects the broader evolution of MLS from a fledgling domestic competition into a major professional sports league in North America.[2]
The club experienced a period of renewed ambition in the 2020s, culminating in a record-breaking 2021 regular season in which the Revolution posted the best points total in MLS history at that time. That campaign brought significant national and international attention to the club and reinforced Boston's standing as a legitimate soccer market. The 2021 season under head coach Bruce Arena demonstrated that the Revolution could compete at the highest levels of the league, though the club fell short of an MLS Cup title during that run. Despite the absence of a championship, the season represented a landmark moment in the franchise's history.
Culture
Soccer culture in Boston and the surrounding region has grown steadily alongside the New England Revolution's presence in the market. The club's supporter groups, most notably the Midnight Riders, have been instrumental in creating a vibrant match-day atmosphere at Gillette Stadium. These organized fan communities travel throughout the Eastern Conference for away fixtures and maintain an active presence in the broader MLS supporter culture. Their songs, banners, and organized sections have contributed to the Revolution's identity as a club with a dedicated, vocal fan base that extends beyond a casual sports audience.
The relationship between the Revolution and the broader New England sports landscape is complex. The region is home to storied franchises across multiple major professional sports leagues, and the Revolution operate in a market where teams like the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and New England Patriots command enormous media attention. Despite this competition for fan interest, the Revolution have carved out a distinct community of supporters who are drawn specifically to soccer and the unique culture surrounding the game. Youth soccer participation rates in Massachusetts are among the highest in the country, providing a natural pipeline of potential supporters and players who grow up with connections to the sport.[3]
The club has also engaged in significant community outreach initiatives through the Revolution Foundation, which supports youth soccer programs across Massachusetts and New England. These programs aim to make soccer accessible to children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and have helped the club build goodwill throughout the communities it serves. The Revolution's community programs reflect a broader philosophy that a professional sports club carries responsibilities beyond the pitch.
Attractions
Gillette Stadium, located in Foxborough approximately twenty-five miles south of downtown Boston, serves as the home venue for the New England Revolution. The stadium opened in 2002 and has a seating capacity that makes it one of the largest venues in MLS, capable of hosting over sixty thousand spectators for major events. While the stadium was designed primarily as a football venue for the New England Patriots, it has been adapted to host soccer matches and has witnessed some of the most significant moments in Revolution history. The facility includes extensive amenities for supporters, including the Patriot Place shopping and entertainment complex that surrounds the stadium grounds.
For supporters traveling to matches, the Gillette Stadium experience encompasses more than just the ninety minutes of play on the pitch. The pre-match environment around Patriot Place includes restaurants, bars, and gathering spaces that have become part of the ritual for many Revolution fans. Tailgating in the stadium's expansive parking areas is a common practice, and supporter group gatherings before matches contribute to the communal atmosphere that defines match days in Foxborough. The venue has hosted notable international friendlies and other high-profile soccer events that have brought global attention to the region.[4]
Plans for a dedicated soccer-specific stadium in the Boston area have been a recurring topic within the club's organizational discussions. The prospect of a purpose-built stadium closer to urban Boston would represent a significant shift in the club's identity and matchday experience. Soccer-specific stadiums in other MLS markets have demonstrated the transformative effect such venues can have on fan engagement, club revenue, and the broader profile of a franchise. The Revolution and their ownership group, Kraft Sports and Entertainment, have publicly acknowledged the importance of eventually securing a dedicated home that reflects the club's ambitions.
Getting There
Foxborough, Massachusetts is accessible from Boston via several transportation options, though the journey requires some planning given the suburban location of Gillette Stadium. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which oversees public transit in the Greater Boston region, operates commuter rail service on match days between South Station in downtown Boston and Foxborough Station, which is located adjacent to Gillette Stadium. This service provides supporters with a direct, car-free option for attending matches and has become a popular choice for fans traveling from the city.[5]
For those traveling by car, Gillette Stadium is situated just off Interstate 95 and Route 1 in Foxborough, making it accessible from much of eastern Massachusetts as well as from Rhode Island and Connecticut. The stadium's proximity to major highway corridors means that supporters from across New England can reach the venue with relative ease, reinforcing the club's regional identity and broad geographic supporter base. Parking on-site is extensive, though it fills quickly for major matches and supporters are encouraged to arrive well in advance of kickoff.
Rideshare services operate actively in the area surrounding Gillette Stadium, and designated pickup and drop-off zones have been established to manage the volume of passengers on busy match days. For out-of-town visitors planning to combine a Revolution match with a broader trip to Boston, the city itself is well-served by Logan International Airport, with connections to major domestic and international destinations. Visitors arriving at Logan can reach South Station via the MBTA Silver Line and then connect to commuter rail service toward Foxborough on applicable match days.