Investor/Operator
Robert Kraft, founder, chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group, is an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist whose portfolio of businesses and brands range across many verticals, including paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate, and venture investing. His holdings include the New England Revolution, New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, International Forest Products, Rand-Whitney Group, Rand-Whitney Containerboard and a portfolio of more than 100 venture and private-equity investments.
As Investor/Operator of the New England Revolution (Major League Soccer) and chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots (National Football League), Kraft has cultivated a championship culture in New England by delivering a combined 16 conference titles, six Super Bowl championships, and one MLS Supporters’ Shield between the two teams. In addition to building a pair of championship-driven franchises, Kraft has committed the resources necessary to transform an undeveloped parcel of land that he purchased in 1985 into Gillette Stadium – a premier concert, entertainment, and event venue that both franchises call home.
Kraft’s long-standing support of soccer in the United States dates back to the early 1990s, when he secured Foxboro Stadium’s status as one of the nine host venues for the 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The success of the 1994 World Cup paved the way for a new era of New England sports. On June 6, 1995, the Kraft family became the founding Investor/Operator of the Revolution, joining Major League Soccer (MLS) as one of its 10 charter clubs for its inaugural season in 1996.
Under Kraft’s leadership, the Revolution have made five MLS Cup appearances and celebrated U.S. Open Cup, North American SuperLiga, and Supporters’ Shield titles. Foxborough has also played host to MLS Cup three times, including the 2002 Final between the Revolution and LA Galaxy, which was played at Gillette Stadium in front of what was then the largest crowd in MLS postseason history (61,316). In 2021, Kraft saw the Revolution set an MLS record with 73 regular season points and 22 wins en route to the club’s first Supporters’ Shield title.
The United States Men’s and Women’s National Teams have also enjoyed tremendous support from the Kraft family and soccer fans throughout New England. Since 1990, Foxborough has hosted 33 international matches involving U.S. national teams at Foxboro Stadium (1990-2001) and Gillette Stadium (2002-present). In addition to hosting matches during the 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup, Foxborough was a host city for both the 1999 Women’s World Cup and the 2003 Women’s World Cup. In 1999, more than 50,000 fans watched the U.S. Women’s National Team defeat North Korea, 3-0, in the Women’s World Cup. In 2011, the Men’s National Team played before a New England-record crowd for a soccer match of 64,121 fans at Gillette Stadium against the then-defending FIFA World Cup champion Spain.
Most recently, Kraft helped secure the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup for North America, the first tournament to be held on U.S. soil in more than 30 years, when he was named Honorary Chairman of the Board of the United Bid Committee of Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2017. Boston will serve as one of 16 host cities for the tournament, which will see FIFA World Cup matches contested in Foxborough for the fourth time.
A native of Brookline, Mass., Kraft attended public schools before matriculating to Columbia College on an academic scholarship. Upon graduation, he received a fellowship to Harvard Business School, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration. Â
Kraft also served on the board of directors and as a trustee for various organizations. A trustee emeritus at Columbia and Boston College, Kraft has also received honorary degrees from several colleges and universities.
Over the past five decades, Robert Kraft and his family have consistently donated time, resources, relationships, and expertise to a wide range of charities, nonprofits, and causes, resulting in lifetime giving in excess of $800 million. While his philanthropic efforts have been a pillar of his life for more than 50 years, his contributions across a range of causes, particularly focused on social justice, healthcare and economic mobility have received well-deserved recognition in recent years.