Scotland is in a celebratory mood at the World Cup. This is the first World Cup they’ve played in for 28 long years, and they’re currently over the moon after their opening match 1-0 victory against Haiti on June 14.
With games against Morocco and Brazil to come, they might not be in the tournament for long, but it seems that while they are, their fans are going to make the most of their trip across the pond. And they’re doing it in style.
As per a report from NBC Boston, the “Tartan Army” is ‘taking over’ restaurants and pubs, drinking so much beer that bars are being drunk dry. Sam Adams says their Boston Taproom ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager over the weekend, with Scots drinking four times as much as it usually sells over a four-day weekend.
The Proclaimers, “500 miles” belted out by Scottish football fans at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) June 15, 2026
If you mix American Baseball with the Tartan Army and The Proclaimers, this is what you get. Surreal but absolutely glorious.
⚾️🇺🇸⚽️🏴♥️ pic.twitter.com/TPPXdwnStr
The company reportedly declared an emergency on Saturday morning as it became apparent that they were facing a beer crisis, resulting in last-minute deliveries. Billy DeCain of the Sam Adams Boston Taproom summed up the reaction: “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Other bars are facing the same problem. Paul Morris of The White Bull Tavern said, “We ran out of everything” but praised the thirsty Scots: “The fans have been unbelievable. They’re great — fun, drinking, partying — having a great time.”
“We’ve been here for over 30 years, and we’ve never seen anything like it.”
Community policing looks a bit different when the @FIFAWorldCup is in town! Our officers celebrated alongside fans, both international and local, during Day 1 of @FWC26Boston Fan Fest on City Hall Plaza! pic.twitter.com/KmxHAwAoHx
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 13, 2026
As a measure of just how much beer is being consumed, Hennessey’s Bar reports that this party tripled its St. Patrick’s Day sales, also resulting in their taps running dry. Noelle Somers said: “We’ve been here for over 30 years, and we’ve never seen anything like it.”
Oran McGonagle of The Dubliner added:
“We had our biggest week ever last week. I managed to plan ahead and get an extra delivery last Saturday, and I was told yesterday the distributor has run out too. He’s getting his today and the rest of the city is getting theirs tomorrow.”
Tomorrow Scotland will play Morocco at the Boston Stadium at 6 pm ET. If Scotland wins, they’ll have made it out of the group stages of the World Cup for the first time in soccer history. Whatever the final score, Boston’s bartenders will doubtless ensure they’re fully stocked, and emergency beer relief is ready to go.
Published: Jun 18, 2026 05:19 am