A Scottish wave has taken over Boston during the 2026 World Cup. Kilts, bagpipes, Scotland shirts, Scottish flags and chants have followed the win over Haiti and the days leading up to the match against Morocco, in a city that has seen the Tartan Army turn streets, bars, stadiums and even statues into part of its World Cup journey. The wait had lasted 28 years, and the Scottish support arrived in the United States ready to live every minute of it. Some estimates even suggest that up to 40,000 Scots could pass through New England during this first stage of the tournament.
The impact began long before kick-off. The Tartan Army has become a travelling economy in its own right: around 300 rooms were booked at one Marriott alone, while some estimates put spending at roughly $2,500 per person during the stay. Hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, transport and local events have all felt the arrival of thousands of fans who travelled to watch Scotland, but also to take over Boston for several days. Near Bunker Hill, the Scottish Football Association -SFA- even rebranded a local pub as Scotland House, a venue with capacity for around 2,000 people that has served as one of the Scottish bases in the city.
“Boston runs out of beer”
The most repeated scene came in the bars. The Sam Adams Tap Room had to request a special delivery from the brewery to meet demand from Scottish fans, while other venues also ran out of stock or had to reorganise orders. “I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Billy DeCain, the venue’s general manager, speaking to Reuters. He also described the Scots as fans who were “on adrenaline all weekend” and wondered whether they ever slept or got tired after seeing them back out again at 11.00 the next morning.
The White Bull Tavern ran out of Tennent’s, The Dubliner spoke of its best week on record and Hennessy’s Bar compared the volume of business to tripling Saint Patrick’s Day. Ahead of Scotland-Morocco, Boston bars were already preparing for a second wave of Scottish consumption, with distributors restocking and the city extending bar hours in response to the Tartan Army’s presence. The local joke also appeared on shirts. Some fans wore the slogan “Boston T Party”, a play on the historic Boston Tea Party, the 1773 protest against British taxes on tea, with the T standing for Tennent’s, one of Scotland’s most recognisable beers. In a city shaped by its founding story against British power, the Tartan Army turned the historical reference into a pub, shirt and World Cup joke.
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Fans of Scotland
Haiti v Scotland, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Group C, Football, Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA – 13 Jun 2026
Fenway, cones and Scottish humour
The fans also carried their party beyond football. Around 5,000 supporters marched from Evans Way Park to Fenway Park to attend the Boston Red Sox game against the Texas Rangers, bringing bagpipes, kilts, chants and Scotland shirts into one of the great spaces of American sport. The walk came almost as a victory lap after the win over Haiti and also took over Lansdowne Street, where baseball mixed for a few hours with a Scottish celebration that some local witnesses described as one of the best atmospheres they had experienced outside a playoff game. Red Sox shirts with the names of Scottish players, including McTominay, also appeared in the stands.
The other viral image came with the traffic cones. Fans brought to Boston a tradition associated with Glasgow: placing traffic cones on statues, as has happened for decades with the Duke of Wellington. In the American city, the joke also reached the monument to Robert Burns, with a video showing a fan placing a cone on the statue, kissing it and apologising with a “Sorry Rabbie”. The scene quickly spread on social media, and many American users received the prank as part of the humour of the visit.
The Tartan Army’s generous side
Between beer, bagpipes and chants, the Tartan Army has also left a charitable mark. Scottish fans have raised nearly $30,000 in local donations, with contributions going to a children’s cancer unit, football projects for underprivileged children and programmes helping youngsters learn the bagpipes. The amounts reported include $10,000 for a children’s cancer unit, another $10,000 for football for children with fewer resources and $6,500 to help young people learn to play the bagpipes. The gesture added a quieter but highly visible layer to the relationship between the visitors and the city.
The local response has been especially warm. Bar staff, residents and American media have praised the Scots’ energy, while mayor Michelle Wu said the fans had been “incredibly warm”, had supported local businesses, had got to know the community and had treated Boston as “a home away from home”. Between bars running out of beer and streets filled with bagpipes, the city seems to have found a fanbase it can look at with real affection.
Donny Strathie and the next stop
The trip has also carried a sad story. Donny Strathie, a 76-year-old fan from Grangemouth, travelled to Boston to watch Scotland at the World Cup and was able to see the victory over Haiti, decided by a John McGinn goal. He died in Boston before the match against Morocco, for which he also had a ticket, and his family has asked for a round of applause in the 76th minute during the game.
Scotland will face Morocco in Boston before travelling to Miami to play Brazil, while the Tartan Army prepares for the next stages of its World Cup. The first stop has already left full hotels, bars restocking beer in a hurry, a march to Fenway Park, cones on statues, nearly $30,000 in donations and a pending tribute to Donny Strathie. Wu summed up the mood with an invitation that also works as a temporary farewell: she hopes the Tartan Army will keep coming back to Boston.
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