Just 51 days out from the first World Cup match in Boston, a number of African immigrant-owned businesses say they are struggling to obtain grants and secure spots to be vendors at city watch parties.
African immigrant business owners are eager to be represented in events surrounding the the World Cup, given the prevalence of African teams in the games and the many African immigrants in Massachusetts. But several have told GBH News they've filled out surveys in the past few months to become vendors but have received no reply. Others say they were sent grant applications intended for small businesses, only to be told later that they were denied for unknown reasons.
The Boston Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 26, as well as the State Office of Travel and Tourism and the City of Boston, have been opaque in addressing those concerns.
Mireille Tushiminina, who founded the African Festival of Boston in 2010, said she and other leaders recently created a coalition of over 100 African-owned businesses. Tushiminina said she asked organizers of the event if African-owned businesses could have space at a fan festival planned at City Hall Plaza during the games.
"Their responses were, 'Oh, we're looking for entertainers,'" she said of the Boston Host Committee. "We were quite upset because we're like, 'No, we are not entertainers, we are business owners, we are people contributing to the social economic fabrics in Boston and Massachusetts.' So checking the box by only inviting African entertainers, for us, we feel like it's quite insulting."
The state's Office of Travel and Tourism, the Boston Host Committee and Boston city officials didn't reply to repeated requests for interviews about the businesses' worries.
But some elected leaders say they have concerns too.
"There's still a lot more work to be done. We are moving much slower than I would like," said Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. "I think that FIFA, the host committee has put out information about, 'If your business is interested in World Cup opportunities, sign up here.' What has been done with that information is unclear. "
Louijeune said the Haitian community has also been denied space within the limits of the fan festival on City Hall Plaza, and says there are opportunities to "uplift businesses in other spaces."
FanFest to attract thousands
Greater Boston will host seven FIFA World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough from June 13 to July 9. Officials say the FanFest planned for City Hall Plaza will be a hub for people to watch games and celebrate their teams. The festival is expected to attract thousands of fans daily.
"Think big screens, local performers, small businesses, food, merchandise. For fans near and far this is definitely going to be the place to be," said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll at a press conference earlier this week.
Mike Loynd, CEO of the Boston Host Committee, said he hopes the festival will be a cultural showcase of "great talent from the community," and noted that the host committee is working on selecting vendors and performers.
In response to concerns from some businesses over what they say is a lack of communication over surveys they fulfilled for his organization, and silence about grants and economic opportunities around the World Cup, Loynd told GBH News after the press conference that the survey "portal is linked into FIFA."
"Our coordination is limited, and our ability to contract is limited so that information gets provided over to FIFA," he said. "The feedback is something we're working on — how that then gets fed back. But our goal is to be, you know, sort of collaborative and inclusive."
Loynd said the host committee has awarded two contracts, including one for $2.5 million to Windwalker Group LLC, a certified minority business.
The city of Boston is also planning other festivities for the soccer matches.
During this week's recent press conference, Mayor Michelle Wu said the city will offer grants for residents, businesses and neighborhood groups who want to host a block party on their streets to celebrate either the World Cup or America's 250th birthday. She noted that office hours for certain city agencies will be extended to address licensing and other questions.
"We're reaching out to our businesses and they've been sharing information on what plans they have to either show the game or provide some additional celebrations and we're compiling all of that to make it easy for everyone to know," she said. She said the city is partnering with Boston 2026 to create an online "Get Ready for Summer 2026 Business Forum" on May 4 at 6 p.m.
Wu said there will also be a neighborhood business guide put together with the host committee.
"We also invite all small businesses to continue filling out our online survey about what your summer activation plans are and how the City can support you," she said.
The city's Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion said it is extending office hours for small business owners with questions about how to get involved with the World Cup
In this week's press conference, Driscoll didn't offer specifics on state support, but said she looks forward to the World Cup being a boon for the Massachusetts economy.
"We're expecting more heads in beds, more diners, more shoppers. Certainly hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity will be brought back to the commonwealth," Driscoll said.
'We just want to be included'
African-owned business owners, including Tushiminina, say they just want to be part of that economic impact.
But her coalition, Africans for FIFA Boston 2026, say that city-affiliated opportunities are too expensive for the World Cup events and others. For instance, it will cost businesses $800 to $1,500 each day to have a stand or cart for a table or cart at Boston Harbor Bites, an event planned later in July to coincide with the Tall Ship Boston.
Cecelia Lizotte, owner of Suya Joint in Roxbury, said she and other coalition members have also attended community meetings with the city of Boston, a local chamber of commerce and other groups. And yet, they say they have received few details from city and the host committee about participating in community gatherings in connection with the World Cup.
Lizotte said she was denied a state grant that she hoped to use to host watch parties. She was surprised to later find out that her business wasn't eligible to receive the grant. She had requested $75,000 for multiple watch parties, specifically inventory, security, and marketing.
"We've attended a lot the info sessions but [we're] still not feeling included — feeling very, very much left out, and there are about 10 African teams that are coming in for the World Cup and playing," she said.
Lizotte received a link to a state grant opportunity from several entities, and filled out the long application. Eventually, she said she got an email saying she was denied but says she hasn't been able to find out why. She shared her application and form rejection letter with GBH News.
Lizotte believes the state should have been clearer that it wasn't opening up its grant application for small businesses.
"The information that came out initially was for everybody to apply, so everyone applied," she said. "No restrictions."
A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) said the grant Lizotte applied for was through the Sports and Entertainment Events Grant Program, and Suya Joint wasn't eligible to receive a grant because it is a for-profit business.
Lizotte said she wasn't aware of that limitation. She's looking for other grant opportunities. She's aware of Boston's block party grants but said they're small.
"It's $500, $600 or $700. It's nothing big, but it's in the hundreds for businesses to apply," she said.
MOTT said it received 51 applications from across the state, including submissions from a wide range of communities and organizations. "Interest in the program significantly exceeded available funding, making it a highly competitive process," a spokesperson wrote.
Tushiminina applied for a grant under a different project called "One Commonwealth, One Game: Regional Cultural FIFA World Cup Watch Parties Across Massachusetts." The application was denied.
MOTT says it has 17 projects selected for funding, and that some of those include municipalities working to create opportunities for African-owned businesses.
For example, Worcester is working with the Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants to "support volunteer operations," and Cambridge is working with the Cambridge Somerville Black Business Network to hold night markets at neighborhood watch parties, according to a spokesperson.
Oluwatoyin Adewumi chef and owner of TamBo's Kitchen, a South Shore African-themed restaurant, said it's been over two months since she submitted a survey seeking information with the host committee. She's interested in vending at FanFest and potentially being involved with a watch party in her area, and is hoping to get more information about grants and permitting.
However, she said she also hasn't heard back.
Seidu Sumani of the Ghana Association of Greater Boston said that "things are moving slower than we expected, so we are anxious and nervous."
"If in another week or two we still haven't made any progress, then we would consider that a crisis," said Sumani.
Aissata Dansoko, the owner of Sips Bevs in Worcester, said she has also struggled to get details from Boston 26. Originally from Guinea, she makes traditional West African beverages like Bissap, a red hibiscus drink. She says she submitted a form with the Boston host committee earlier this year, but hasn't heard anything back.
She said the committee's website notes "anyone" is able to submit their businesses for consideration to be a vendor at the fan festival. Dansoko hadn't heard about a Worcester watch party.
"As a beverage vendor, having that opportunity to be to set up a table or just a little station where people can come and be able to enjoy West African beverages — I believe people would be looking forward to being able to rejoice in that culture," Dansoko said.
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