‘It’s unbelievable energy’: Soccer fans can’t wait for Brazil/France game Thursday in Foxborough

FOXBOROUGH — By 4 p.m. Thursday, Gillette Stadium will feel more like Rio or Paris than New England. Third-ranked France and fifth-ranked Brazil are rolling into town for a star-studded friendly that local supporters are treating as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup this summer, and the anticipation is already spilling out of pubs like The Banshee in Dorchester.

“Two of the most talented international teams in the world are coming to Gillette,” said Scotland supporter Aaron Free, summing up the mood inside the bar. “So many good players on either side. I will be watching it for sure. It’s just a friendly, but it’s a good introduction to what it’s going to be like in June and July. I think the whole town will be buzzing.”

With final 26-man rosters to be finalized in May, both federations are bringing full-strength squads, turning what is technically an exhibition into a high-stakes audition. For fans who secured tickets months ago—like Bostonian Brian Gallagher—the chance to see global superstars on local soil was impossible to pass up.

“I’m really excited to see Mbappe play and some other big names,” Gallagher said. “Although it’s a friendly, it’s still really cool to see their full rosters play just months before the World Cup kicks off.”

French forward Kylian Mbappe, one of the planet’s most lethal scorers, headlines a cast of household names that has casual observers just as excited as lifelong followers. Sanket Bhagat, a neutral fan, framed the moment succinctly: “Mbappe is just a zip code away from where we are. It’s cool.”

Organizers expect a partisan, colorful crowd that will treat the 90 minutes like a knockout match. “It’s not often that two powerhouse nations play against each other in a friendly,” said Sarah Knupp, a Manchester United supporter who has traveled to two Women’s World Cups. “American sports fans need to understand the energy that comes with worldwide football and its unbelievable energy.”

That communal electricity is part of the sport’s sales pitch. Riley Knupp recalled how strangers become “best friends” over the course of a single game, and local devotees hope Thursday’s showcase accelerates soccer’s growth in the United States.

“If we give people a chance to see world-class like the best athletes in the world, they’ll be more likely to watch soccer,” said Chelsea fan Richard Abelard.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Gillette Stadium, an hour’s drive from downtown Boston, with Brazilian and French fans expected to converge en masse on Route 1. For one afternoon, the NFL’s home turf will belong entirely to the beautiful game.