Boston Legacy FC
The timeline of when Boston’s NWSL team will be able to move into the stadium remains uncertain.
The foundations of the two grandstands at White Stadium are in place, as are steel girders and elevator shafts. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
August 20, 2026 | 7:00 AM
2 minutes to read
The state’s Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday ruled that the $325 million project to renovate White Stadium — operated in partnership between the city and Boston Legacy FC — does not violate state law, clearing the path for work on the site to continue and removing the largest legal barrier facing the project.
That’s good news for Boston Legacy FC. The ruling puts to rest the years-long lawsuit that threatened to upend the construction of the NWSL team’s future home, which will also operate as a new hub for Boston Public Schools athletics.
“Today’s Supreme Judicial Court ruling is a tremendous victory for Boston Public Schools students, the Franklin Park community, and the future of professional women’s soccer in Boston,” Jennifer Epstein, the controlling owner of Boston Legacy FC, said in a statement.
But the timeline of when Boston’s NWSL team will be able to move into the stadium remains uncertain.
Before the ruling was announced, neither the team nor the city would commit to it being ready for some or all of the 2027 season, which begins in February and will stretch into November.
Work is ongoing at the site, and the City of Boston said it is maintaining a six-days-a-week work schedule. The foundations of the two grandstands are in place, as are steel girders and elevator shafts, according to footage from the web and live cameras at the site.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, the city’s White Stadium website projected the stadium would open in “summer 2027,” which is about four months after the start of the NWSL season.
Should the stadium not be ready in time for the start of the season, the team likely would continue to play in its inaugural season homes: Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I., and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
“The court’s decision clears the way for completing the White Stadium renovation and delivering a world-class facility that will serve our community for generations, and sets a national standard for youth athletics and professional women’s soccer,” Epstein said in the statement.
The renovation of the stadium was a central piece of Legacy ownership group Boston Unity Soccer Partners’ successful bid to receive an NWSL expansion team for the 2026 season, as the league requires prospective expansion team owners to present clear, committed infrastructure plans.
(In addition to renovating White Stadium, the club also in the process of building a privately funded, $60 million training facility in Brockton.)
“We are pleased with today’s ruling allowing construction to move forward at White Stadium,” a league spokesperson said in a statement to the Globe. “We remain committed to supporting our partners at Boston Legacy FC as they build a premier home for women’s soccer in Boston.”
Michael Silverman of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
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