Julian Edelman is now the Boston Hospitality Captain for this summer’s FIFA World Cup with On Location. He said yes fast when asked about the role, and the job puts him in front of the international crowd Boston wants to draw this summer.
“Slam dunk.” That was his answer when asked if he wanted the ambassador role. Edelman, 40, said he is in Los Angeles and noted that he has three Super Bowls and one Hall of Fame jacket, a reminder that he is stepping into the World Cup with a very public sports profile already in place.
Julian Edelman and Boston
The assignment is built around Boston hospitality, not a roster move or a playing comeback. Edelman said he is going to be part of a string of On Location events and that he will be hosting an international crowd, which makes the role more than a title. It places a New England Patriots Hall of Famer in a visible spot tied to the city’s World Cup push.
He also tied the job to how he learned the sport. Edelman said he got into soccer through the FIFA video game, and he said he picked Tottenham when he started following English Premier League teams. He added that Harry Kane became a friend after they talked for about an hour at the 2018 Super Bowl post-game party.
Rob Gronkowski and SoFi Stadium
Edelman’s plans this summer are already taking shape. When asked what match he was especially excited about, he said, “I’m going to a Scotland game with Gronk.” That gives him at least one clear trip on the calendar, with Rob Gronkowski part of the plan.
He also said he may bring his daughter into the mix. Asked whether he would take her to any matches, he said, “we might go check out a match here at SoFi Stadium.” The daughter already has a head start on the event, because Edelman said he bought her FIFA Boston T-shirts and other Boston items and that he had her all Bostoned up.
Edelman’s daughter and Boston
That family piece adds friction to the schedule. Edelman said it is kind of tough getting his daughter back East with her soccer schedule and summer camps, so the trip will have to fit around more than one moving part. He said his daughter plays soccer, which makes the World Cup part of the summer feel closer to home than a normal celebrity appearance.
For Boston, the practical takeaway is simple: Edelman is being used as a public face for the city’s World Cup role, and he is already talking like someone who will be in the event mix rather than standing outside it. Whether that ends with a match at SoFi Stadium or another plan built around his daughter’s schedule, Boston’s pitch now has a familiar name attached to it.
