Labor & Employment World Cup 2026: France and Massachusetts on Pay Transparency

Kickoff: Getting to Know the France National Team

The history of the French football team in the FIFA World Cup is defined by two unforgettable triumphs: its victories in 1998 and 2018, 20 years apart. A particularly striking connection links these two victories: the coach who led France to the 2018 championship captained the team that lifted the trophy in 1998.

The 1998 tournament remains one of the most significant moments in French football history. For the first time, France won the World Cup and did so on home soil as the tournament host. After failing to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 editions, expectations were relatively modest despite automatic qualification in 1998. Driven by a young, talented squad and a determined coaching staff, France exceeded those expectations, ultimately defeating Brazil 3-0 in the final to claim its first world title. On the night of France’s win, Paris transformed into a massive open-air celebration as crowds filled the streets, singing, dancing, and sharing a moment of national unity. 

Twenty years later, in July 2018, France once again celebrated World Cup glory after its triumph in Russia. A second star was added to the national team’s jersey, reigniting that same sense of collective pride and reminding fans of the country’s place among football’s elite.

In 2026, expectations remain as high as ever. The objective is simple: earn a third star. France enters the tournament with the depth, technical quality, and attacking talent that have made it a contender on the international stage, and supporters will once again expect the team to compete for football’s greatest prize.

Home Field Advantage: Introducing Boston, Massachusetts

Boston offers a distinctive World Cup experience shaped by its blend of history, innovation, and international outlook. One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston is known for its historic landmarks, world-renowned universities, thriving life sciences and technology sectors, and passionate sports culture. 

Although the tournament matches will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, temporarily renamed “Boston Stadium” for FIFA World Cup 2026 purposes, the event is being hosted by the broader Boston region. The area will host seven World Cup matches, including group-stage contests, a Round of 32 match, and a quarterfinal. FIFA Fan Festival activities centered at Boston City Hall Plaza will bring the tournament atmosphere directly into the heart of the city, creating opportunities for residents and visitors alike to participate in the celebration.

Boston’s deep sporting traditions further reinforce its credentials as a host city. Home to championship-winning teams across multiple professional leagues, the region is accustomed to hosting events that capture national and international attention—and it rarely lacks confidence in its teams. The summer of 2026 also coincides with celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, offering visitors an opportunity to experience a city where history remains visible in everyday life, from the Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall to the neighborhoods and waterfront that helped shape the nation’s founding story. Combined with Boston’s competitive sporting culture and global outlook, the World Cup provides another opportunity for the region to welcome the world while celebrating a milestone in its own history.

The Rulebook: Pay Transparency

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has joined a growing number of U.S. jurisdictions that have adopted pay transparency requirements designed to provide job applicants and employees with greater visibility into compensation practices. Since October 29, 2025, employers with 25 or more employees in Massachusetts have had to disclose the pay range they expect to pay for a position whenever they advertise a job opening. Employers must also provide the applicable pay range to employees offered a promotion, transfer, or new position with different responsibilities, or to an employee or applicant upon request. The law defines a “pay range” as the salary or hourly wage range that the employer reasonably and in good faith expects to offer at the time of posting. 

The law also includes workforce reporting obligations on larger employers. Organizations with 100 or more employees in Massachusetts that already file federal EEO reports must submit those same reports to the Commonwealth. The reports provide demographic information categorized by race, ethnicity, sex, and job category, giving state officials greater visibility into workforce composition across industries. At present, however, Massachusetts does not require employers to submit wage data because the federal government no longer collects that information as part of the EEO-1 reporting process.¹

For many employers, the practical impact extends beyond simply adding salary ranges to job postings. Compensation structures, job architectures, promotion practices, and recruiting procedures may all receive increased attention as organizations seek to ensure consistency between stated pay ranges and actual compensation decisions. As pay information becomes more visible to applicants and employees, pay transparency is increasingly viewed not only as a compliance issue but also as a workforce planning and employee relations consideration.

France

Pay transparency is a key issue worrying both human resources departments and companies with operations in France and across the European Union (EU) member states. Stemming from the EU Pay Transparency Directive (PTD), which member states were required to transpose into national law by June 7, employers are preparing for new obligations that will affect both recruitment practices and the execution of employment contracts.

How should companies prepare? A critical first step for many employers is to define categories of work of equal value within the organization. The PTD establishes certain criteria for defining work of equal value. The preliminary French draft legislation follows that approach, focusing on objective factors such as professional knowledge, qualifications, experience, skills, responsibilities, working conditions, and physical or mental demands. Drawing on collective bargaining classifications and internal job structures, employers are beginning to assess how positions within their organizations may be grouped for comparison purposes.

These categories form the foundation of the new pay transparency framework. Comparisons regarding pay equity generally depend on identifying employees performing work of equal value. In larger organizations, employers will also be required to measure and report certain pay-gap indicators and, where significant disparities are identified, take steps to address them. Under the PTD and ultimate implementing legislation, employees will also gain expanded rights to request information about their compensation level and comparative pay data within their category.

Many employers are therefore reviewing their compensation structures and remuneration practices. Evaluating salary levels, pay progression systems, bonus programs, and other compensation-related benefits can help identify inconsistencies or potential areas of concern. The objective is not to eliminate all differences in pay, but rather to ensure that any differences are based on objective, gender-neutral criteria such as experience, seniority, performance, or other legitimate business factors.

Recruitment practices are also expected to evolve because of the PTD. Like Massachusetts, employers will need to provide applicants with information regarding compensation before employment begins, and questions concerning a candidate’s salary history are no longer permitted. As a result, many organizations are reviewing hiring procedures and training managers and HR professionals on the new requirements.

Finally, employers are revisiting employment agreements and workplace policies to ensure they align with the new framework. Restrictions on employees discussing their compensation are generally inconsistent with the principles underlying pay transparency and may require revision. For many organizations, the focus is now on preparing systems, data, and processes to operate effectively in a workplace environment where greater pay transparency is becoming the norm.

On the Global Field: Closing Thoughts

Massachusetts and France illustrate how pay transparency requirements are reshaping employment practices on both sides of the Atlantic. Both jurisdictions seek to promote greater transparency and informed decision-making around compensation, with the most significant movement by France and the European Union with the PTD. Whether through pay-range disclosures, workforce reporting, pay-equity requirements, or expanded employee access to compensation information, employers are increasingly expected to understand, evaluate, and explain their compensation practices. 

For multinational employers, understanding these evolving requirements may be increasingly important not only for compliance purposes, but also for attracting talent, strengthening employee trust, and building compensation systems that can withstand greater scrutiny in the years ahead.