PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Friday was one of the coldest days of the year, but much of Rhode Island was focused on warmer days and soccer.

Friday afternoon, fans learned which teams will be coming to New England for the 2026 World Cup group stage in June.

“I’ve been to World Cups in the past,” Newport resident Timmy May said. “I went to see soccer games in Mexico in ‘86. I saw games in 1990 in Italy.”

And now, May will have the chance to see the World Cup in his own backyard.

Months ahead of the first matches in June, Rhode Island soccer fans gathered at their home club’s stadium in Pawtucket.

RIFC hosted a watch party as FIFA announced which teams will be coming to the United States — and New England.

With Providence set to host at least one team, residents of the Capital City made their pitch to potential visitors.

“It’s a great culture, the food’s amazing,” Providence resident Jose Olivences said. “We’ve got every culture, very diverse internationally. When we go out of state, we don’t find any food that compares to Rhode Island.”

Brazil, England, and France are among the teams set to play at Gillette Stadium.

• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

• Group I: France, Senegal, Winner Play-off 2, Norway

• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

“My parents are from Haiti,” Providence resident Akisch Lenus said. “So I’m excited. That country has been through so much, so to see them in the World Cup is amazing.”

Teams will now sort out where they’ll stay and practice when the World Cup arrives in June.

“I’m stoked. I’m super excited,” Pawtucket resident Jason McLaughlin said. “I can’t believe that it’s actually going to be at Gillette. That’s a big deal.”

Bryant University in Smithfield is one of the FIFA-approved options for base camps.

The company — whose iconic brands include Monopoly, Scrabble, My Little Pony, Nerf, and Potato Head — had long been headquartered in Pawtucket, and will soon relocate operations to 400 Summer St. in Boston’s Seaport District, a 630,000 square-foot, 16-story laboratory building.

The new space will be home to at least 700 full-time employees, who are expected to fully transition from Rhode Island to Boston by the end of 2026.

A hiring push for the Boston office began in September, just after the toy maker announced it would leave its Pawtucket offices at 1027 Newport Ave. Some of the Boston postings were tagged as “company priority,” signaling urgency to fill those roles.

Hasbro’s relocation underscores the powerful allure of Boston’s vast talent pool and healthy corporate ecosystem. While Hasbro’s relocation will force Rhode Island to grapple with losing tax revenue, Pawtucket has long struggled to reinvent its downtown, which has plenty of vacant buildings, homelessness, and underperforming schools. Hasbro still owns its aging offices on Newport Avenue, and it’s unclear whether the company plans to lease or sell them, and when.

Andrea Snyder and Bertie Thomson, two spokespeople for Hasbro, could not be reached for comment. The company has not responded to state or city officials either.

“The State and City Commerce departments, in partnership with Governor [Dan] McKee’s office and Mayor [Don] Grebien’s office, have reached out to Hasbro numerous times – all calls, emails, and letters have gone unanswered,” said Grebien spokesperson Jennifer Almeida, in a statement to the Globe. “While we recognize that Hasbro is a private company and made the decision to leave, the lack of communication is frustrating.”

“We hope that Hasbro will work with us to ensure their employees are taken care of and that the property remains viable for future development,” Almeida said.

Hasbro has been located in Rhode Island since its founding in 1923 by the Hassenfeld family. One of the few publicly traded companies based in Rhode Island, it employs roughly 5,500 people worldwide.

Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.

Posted: Dec 4, 2025 / 07:20 PM EST

Updated: Dec 4, 2025 / 08:36 PM EST

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) — Police have canceled a Silver Alert for a 78-year-old man reported missing out of Barrington Thursday.

Jeffrey Rockwell had been last seen in person on Wednesday, but police said his vehicle was spotted Thursday morning taking the Broadway exit off I-195 West.

Police located Rockwell Thursday around 8:30 p.m.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.