{"id":3652,"date":"2026-06-26T19:02:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T19:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3652"},"modified":"2026-06-26T19:02:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T19:02:56","slug":"bostons-biggest-game-yet-norway-vs-france-kicks-off-at-3-p-m-follow-live-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3652","title":{"rendered":"Boston\u2019s biggest game yet \u2014 Norway vs. France \u2014 kicks off at 3 p.m. Follow live updates."},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<div>\n<p><span>The final group-stage World Cup game to be played in Massachusetts is Friday, and it\u2019s a big one: Norway vs. France. Both countries are already advancing, but there is still plenty on the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3650\">Healey slams brakes on data center tax incentives<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>With kickoff set for 3 p.m., it will feel like true summer weather. Here\u2019s a look at the forecast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Globe has journalists covering the region throughout the afternoon. Follow live updates below.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>pinned<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h4>Here\u2019s what to know about the World Cup in Boston today<\/h4>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Norway and France will face off in Foxborough at 3 p.m. Both teams are already advancing to the knockout stage, so this will decide who finishes first in Group I.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>The winner will face a third-place finisher in East Rutherford, N.J. The runner-up faces Group E runner-up Ivory Coast in Dallas. Both games will be played Tuesday.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>The Boston FIFA Fan Fest is open through Saturday before shutting down for the remainder of the tournament. It opens Friday at 2 p.m. and closes at 10:30 p.m. The Norway-France game will air, followed by Uruguay-Spain at 8 p.m.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Track live traffic around Gillette Stadium here.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h4>Boston World Cup live updates: France vs. Norway<\/h4>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Click here to refresh | Read more World Cup stories<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Weather update: Thunderstorms to hold off \u2014 2:45 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Dave Epstein, Globe Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><span>After some morning showers, we\u2019ve seen a blend of clouds and sunshine to overcast skies this afternoon with a bit of humidity that will hang on, but it\u2019s unlikely fans will have to contend with any rain or stormy weather during the match. Any thunderstorms should hold off until this evening, after 6 p.m., once the game has wrapped up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Most of the energy for these incoming storms will remain to the north of us and a severe thunderstorm watch has been posted for New Hampshire, central Vermont, and southern Maine. Later this evening, as upper-level dynamics move south, there could be a brief shower or a thunderstorm from north to south. It\u2019s unlikely that any of these will reach even strong levels, but there could be a downpour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Temperatures will fall through the 70s the first half of the night.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Fan Fest is open \u2014 2:30 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Aayushi Datta, Globe Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><span>Fans began streaming into the Fan Fest at City Hall Plaza about 30 minutes before kickoff, grabbing burgers, listening to music and trying out soccer-themed games as anticipation built for the Norway-France match.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For Medfield resident Ed Boulat, the Fan Fest became his family\u2019s World Cup experience after they were unable to secure tickets for the match in Foxborough. Boula attended with his two sons, ages 8 and 4, and his parents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe didn\u2019t manage to get tickets, so this is our official World Cup event so far,\u201d Boulat said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited. It should be a fun match.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Born in France, Boulat said supporting Les Bleus made the match especially meaningful. But as a Manchester City supporter, he admitted he was disappointed that Norway star Erling Haaland was rested for the team\u2019s final group-stage match.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt\u2019s a bit upsetting that we\u2019re not going to see Haaland play, but that\u2019s OK,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>French soccer fans bring a quiet intensity to Boston \u2014 2:15 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Chris Serres, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>They came for the\u00a0escargot, slow-cooked in garlic and parsley butter, and the bourbon splashed with lemon juice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>They arrived in crisp polo shirts, with designer bags, and puppies lounging in bassinettes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Over sips of strawberry spritzers, they talked of past and future trips to the Louvre and the\u00a0C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As for the World Cup match flickering on the large screen perched above the sidewalk tables of the\u00a0Petit Robert Bistro? That was a mere afterthought to their main event: the haute cuisine and the artful recreation of a Parisian evening in Boston\u2019s South End.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There is a discreet confidence that defines the French fans pouring into Boston this week ahead of the team\u2019s\u00a0high-stakes clash\u00a0with Norway in Foxborough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For them, soccer is less a riotous celebration than a quiet, almost inevitable march toward victory. They arrived here fully expecting to win. Anything less than a trophy would be a disappointment. No need for the exuberant passion of the Brazilians, the rowdiness of the English or the contagious bravado of the Scots, who descended on Boston with bagpipes and kilts, drank bars dry, and left patriotic statues\u00a0topped with cones.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Fans of\u00a0Les Bleus, as they are known, are still turning out in droves in local French bistros and cafes to see these games.But they are making their presence known in more discreet ways.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe are passionate about football, but we are not in your face, you know, jumping and dancing around,\u201d said Loic Le Garrec, co-owner of the Petit Robert Bistro. \u201cWe already know we are champions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Why is Erling Haaland not playing? \u2014 2:10 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Amin Touri, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>Why is Norway resting all its players when the group is at stake? Well, because winning Group I really doesn\u2019t provide much benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>France and Norway are tied atop the group with 6 points heading into Friday\u2019s game, with France holding the goal difference tiebreaker in the event of a draw.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The winner will take on one of the third-place finishers in the round of 32 \u2014 Sweden occupies that position for now \u2014 with a path that runs through Germany in the round of 16 and likely either the Netherlands or Morocco in the quarterfinal. The loser will face Ivory Coast in the round of 32, then likely Brazil in the round of 16 and likely England in the quarters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There\u2019s very little advantage to be gained by winning today, so Norway seems happy to take the benefit of a rested squad instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Haaland to sit on Friday \u2014 1:55 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Amin Touri, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>The lineups for this highly anticipated France-Norway matchup are out, and there\u2019s going to be a lot of disappointment in the Norway end of Gillette Stadium.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Norwegians are resting pretty much all of their stars, including striker Erling Haaland, for this final game in Group I. There will be no showdown between Haaland and Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 \u2014 unless Haaland makes a second-half cameo \u2014 as has been touted since the matchup was made months ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The French are playing their strongest team, save for star center back William Saliba, who is being rested as he nurses a back issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>\u2018It\u2019s wonderful for us as a community\u2019: Cape Verdeans relish new global recognition \u2014 1:30 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Omar Mohammed and Edward Fitzpatrick, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>Over the last two weeks,\u00a0Cape Verdeans\u00a0have taken to the internet to\u00a0celebrate their new reality\u00a0\u2014 \u201cwe don\u2019t have to explain where Cape Verde is anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The refrain has whizzed through social media in the days after the country\u00a0stunned the footballing universe\u00a0when they held current European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spainto a draw in their first ever game at the World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The small island off the coast of West Africa \u2014 for those who may still be unaware \u2014 followed up that performance with\u00a0another thrilling display against South American powerhouse Uruguay\u00a0and secured another draw, giving themselves a terrific opportunity to advance to the next stage of the tournament when they match up against Saudi Arabia on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Regardless of the outcome, Cape Verde communities from Rhode Island to Brockton to Boston are celebrating the historic recognition of their country and its ambitions \u2014 their team had made its mark.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cFor us, the joy and pride is that folks now know who we are, the rest of the world knows who we are, as an ethnicity, as a country,\u201d said Darlene Spencer, the board president of the Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Even in New England, where\u00a0tens of thousands of Cape Verdeans\u00a0live, the community has sometimes been misidentified. Spencer said that Cape Verdean are often asked if they are Dominican, Puerto Rican or Indian and constantly have to remind people that they are African.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But after this World Cup, no more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>There\u2019s plenty at stake today \u2014 1:00 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Frank Dell\u2019Apa, Globe Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><span>France midfielder Aur\u00e9lien Tchouam\u00e9ni knows Erling Haaland as \u201ca world-class player \u2014 he\u2019s astute in the [penalty area] and, in any moment, if you\u2019re not concentrating, you can pay for it. But we\u2019re ready for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Tchouam\u00e9ni, though, did not seem prepared for Haaland\u2019s claim that France is \u201cprobably going to win against us. They\u2019re probably going to win the whole tournament.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cInteresting,\u201d Tchouam\u00e9ni said via an interpreter Thursday before practice at Bentley University. \u201cNo, honestly, I don\u2019t know if he was kidding, or not. We stay focused on ourselves, game to game, we have to stay focused on ourselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Haaland made his prediction when asked about Friday\u2019s France-Norway match in Foxborough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cHonestly I don\u2019t care too much, we\u2019re through,\u201d Haaland said after\u00a0Norway\u2019s 3-2 victory over Senegal. \u201cWe managed to get through, which is incredible, so I couldn\u2019t care too much about that game now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>France assistant coach Guy St\u00e9phan said Haaland\u2019s contention lacked credibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI don\u2019t believe that much,\u201d St\u00e9phan said. \u201cThey say a team is better, in case they lose the match. Then, people don\u2019t feel so sorry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Haaland the jokester, then. Or is he playing mind games?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI think he said it a little bit as a joke, because it was just after a big, big, win,\u201d Norway defender David M\u00f8ller Wolfe said. \u201cSo, we were focused on the win, and not on the the next game. I think everyone wants to win and win the group.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>If Haaland is putting his kroners on Les Bleus, he is not alone. France is a strong favorite against the Norwegians, and also to capture its third World Cup title.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>How Norway\u2019s first female soccer president brought the men\u2019s team back to prominence \u2014 12:30 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Emma Healy, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>Lise Klaveness can\u2019t seem to walk two paces through a crowd of Norwegian soccer fans without getting stopped for a selfie or an autograph.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3648\">R.I. Bar Association decries call to impeach judge for ruling against Trump policies<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>Once a star on the Norwegian women\u2019s national team, Klaveness is now perhaps best known as the president of the Norwegian Football Federation, a role for which she is recognized over and over on a recent afternoon in Boston.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In celebration of the Norwegian men\u2019s team qualifying for its first World Cup since 1998, an estimated 10,000 Norwegians traveled to Boston for the team\u2019s games in Foxborough:\u00a0a 4-1 win over Iraq on June 16, and Friday\u2019s\u00a0game against France\u00a0at 3 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And it seems everyone she walks past wants to shake her hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Klaveness took over the top job at the federation in 2022, and returned the men\u2019s national team to prominence by focusing on the country\u2019s grassroots programs to create sustainable success at the elite level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Her philosophy is rooted in a belief that soccer should be for everyone: A stronger grassroots youth program leads to a better national team, she said, and a more accessible and inclusive sport at all levels creates unity through shared experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cEven though I\u2019ve worked hard for equality my whole career, I would say it\u2019s always come organically, and it\u2019s always come from a place where I think it\u2019s also what\u2019s best for everyone,\u201d Klaveness said. \u201cThe fight is not to just have representation, it\u2019s to make it better for everyone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Why is she supporting France? \u2014 12:00 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Aayushi Datta, Globe Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><span>As the rush at South Station began to thin, a few last-minute fans hurried to catch the train to Foxborough, hoping to make kickoff for the World Cup match between France and Norway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Among them was Lindsay Sandmeyer, 36, of the South Shore, who said supporting France comes from years of personal connections to the country. The trip also carried extra significance because it was her husband\u2019s birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019ve spent a lot of time in France,\u201d Sandmeyer said. \u201cI studied abroad there, and we\u2019re going back this summer. If France makes the final, we\u2019ll be in Paris.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Attending her first World Cup match, Sandmeyer said she was eager to watch French star Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and hoped the game lived up to its billing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI hope it\u2019s a close game,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though I want France to win, I want it to come down to the very end because that\u2019s exciting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>NFL owners installed grass for the World Cup. Why won\u2019t they keep it for their own teams? \u2014 11:45 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Nicole Yang, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>Why will NFL owners install natural grass playing surfaces for soccer players, but not for their own teams?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Only 15 of 30 stadiums feature natural grass during football season. Of the 11 World Cup hosts, seven, including Gillette Stadium, usually feature synthetic turf \u2014 and had to make significant arrangements in order to meet FIFA\u2019s tournament-quality standards. The six others were Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), AT&amp;T Stadium (Dallas), NRG Stadium (Houston), SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), MetLife Stadium (New Jersey), and Lumen Field (Seattle).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Ahead of the first World Cup match on June 11, the NFL Players Association issued a statement criticizing owners for selective accommodations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe temporary installation of natural grass fields for the World Cup is a choice by certain NFL team owners to do for soccer players what they refuse to do for NFL players,\u201d wrote the NFLPA. \u201cIt\u2019s no longer a question of capability; the technology exists, the expertise exists, and the resources exist to install the high-level grass fields that our players overwhelmingly prefer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe have seen the meaningful investments made to meet the standard for international athletes and global events. NFL players \u2014 who regularly compete on these fields, help fund these stadiums, and whose work makes the league what it is today \u2014 deserve the same commitment to quality grass fields.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>According to a recent survey conducted by the NFLPA, 92 percent of its players prefer playing on natural grass as opposed to synthetic turf. The latest edition of the NFLPA player report cards revealed that home grass fields received a median grade of B+, while turf fields received a median of D.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The most popular explanations are that turf is harsher on the body, particularly the joints, and that grass is easier to move on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019ve always been a big proponent of playing on grass,\u201d said Patriots safety Kevin Byard, who is entering his 11th season. \u201cIt\u2019s just a longer recovery process [after playing on turf]. My joints, mainly my ankles not my knees, take a little longer to recover. On a Tuesday or a Wednesday when you\u2019re practicing, you still feel the soreness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Added Patriots special teams captain Brenden Schooler, \u201cI love playing on grass. It doesn\u2019t hurt as bad when you fall. When it\u2019s freezing out, I don\u2019t think it cuts you up as bad as turf does. You don\u2019t have to worry about turf burn. I just think, you know, from doing my own research and looking at data and stuff, on turf you have the unfortunate thing where you get caught up and guys get rolled up on and your knee or your ankle gets stuck. Grass has got a little bit more give.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The turf vs. grass debate is not new. But the World Cup, and the beautiful grass fields installed for all 78 of the matches in the United States, has revived the discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis grass and turf stuff has nothing to do with [Roger] Goodell,\u201d former Patriots captain Devin McCourty explained recently on Pro Football Talk\u2019s podcast. \u201cThe owners don\u2019t want to pay for the upkeep of the grass field. They want to be able to, in the offseason, have all of these different events at their stadium because of the turf surface, whether it\u2019s concerts. It\u2019s very cost effective to have the artificial turf. You can place so many different things over it. You can do a rodeo over it, you can do a monster truck show over it, you can do all these things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>McCourty said he and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick would talk \u201call time time\u201d about how everyone, coaches included, would prefer to hold games on grass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cEvery team practices usually on grass fields,\u201d McCourty said. \u201cThey have these grass fields they have to take care of because they know you don\u2019t want to practice on that turf day in and day out because of the impact it has on your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI remember in 2012 or 2013, Brazil and Portugal played a friendly at Gillette Stadium. It\u2019s the most disrespectful thing as a player when you see them pouring all this dirt and putting this grass surface on top of your field because the field\u2019s not adequate enough for these soccer players to get on the field. But you know you\u2019re about to go back and play on this field time and time again, and watch guys get hurt on it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So, what\u2019s it going to take for all 30 NFL stadiums to install natural, high-quality grass?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>France and Norway fans fill South Station \u2014 11:30 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Aayushi Datta, Globe Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><span>Wearing red, white and blue, France and Norway supporters packed South Station on Friday morning, filling platforms with jerseys, scarves, flags and Viking helmets as they boarded trains to Foxborough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For Somerville resident Ben Steinlauf, 29, the trip was about more than just supporting Norway \u2014 it was about sharing the experience with his Norwegian friend, Jacob Englestad, while finally seeing star striker Erling Haaland in person.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cHe\u2019s a freak of nature, who should be seen in person to really understand what he can do,\u201d Steinlauf said as he held a Viking helmet in his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Although France fans appeared to outnumber Norway supporters, he said Norwegian fans still made their presence felt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis is my second game, actually, and the energy is incredible,\u201d Steinlauf, who previously attended the Scotland and Haiti game in person, said. \u201cTo go to World Cup games in my home is just an absolute dream come true.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>The matches in Foxborough have been great, but a little more scoring would be nice \u2014 11:15 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By Ben Volin, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>I promise, I don\u2019t want to be the brash American who rips on soccer because there isn\u2019t enough scoring compared with other sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The World Cup matches held in Foxborough entering Friday have been terrific. We have been treated to some of the game\u2019s biggest stars, four entertaining matches, and an electricity from the international fans that has made for a unique sporting experience in Boston history. I\u2019m all in on this World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But with France and Norway coming Friday, a simple ask \u2014 could we please get a few more goals?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Scoring has been a bit spotty through the first four Foxborough matches, with just seven goals. Five came in Norway\u2019s 4-1 win over Iraq in Match 2. The others have been a couple of 1-0 results \u2014 Scotland over Haiti and Morocco over Scotland \u2014 and a 0-0 draw between England and Ghana.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland did his part, notching two goals in the first half against Iraq. But England sniper Harry Kane attempted just three shots as he was smothered by Ghana\u2019s defense, and misfired on his one golden chance, sending a rebound over the crossbar in the 86th minute, which his manager said Kane converts \u201c99 out of 100 [times].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The two most recent matches in Foxborough have been essentially goal-less. Since Morocco\u2019s Ismael Saibari scored in the second minute of Game 3, local fans haven\u2019t witnessed another goal in 205 minutes, including stoppage time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Seven goals in four games isn\u2019t a drought, but it is the same number Germany scored in one match against Curacao. In the World Cup\u2019s first 60 matches, 14 ended with one or fewer goals. Foxborough has hosted three.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><i>\u201cOh, that\u2019s just soccer, and of course you don\u2019t understand it, you ignorant American,\u201d <\/i>I hear you say.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>While often true, that\u2019s not the case here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Through Thursday night, Boston\u2019s 1.75 goals per match tied for 14th out of the 16 tournament sites. Only Toronto (1.75) and Guadalajara (1.67) have had equal or fewer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3646\">D.C. reaches court settlement with man detained while protesting troops\u2019 patrol with Darth Vader song<\/a><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some of the world&#8217;s biggest stars will face off Friday afternoon under cloudy skies in the region. Keep up with all the news.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Boston\u2019s biggest game yet \u2014 Norway vs. France \u2014 kicks off at 3 p.m. Follow live updates. - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3652\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Boston\u2019s biggest game yet \u2014 Norway vs. France \u2014 kicks off at 3 p.m. Follow live updates. - Boston Relocation Insider\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Some of the world&#039;s biggest stars will face off Friday afternoon under cloudy skies in the region. 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