Nearly 500,000 fans attended seven 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer (football) matches at Gillette Stadium, which was dubbed “Boston Stadium.” While the games took place in Foxborough, downtown Boston was the place to experience the full World Cup atmosphere.

During the first two weeks of the tournament, Boston restaurants and bars saw a 28 percent jump in spending. This is the biggest increase in spending among host cities – https://gvimes.link/wrldcpecn

Fans from Scotland caused a beer shortage at Boston pubs – in fact at one liquor store in downtown they appeared to be responsible for draining the store completely dry of anything but beer and wine by 4 p.m.

Norwegian soccer fans wore viking helmets and “rowed” on an escalator in South Station. Community members and tourists marched from Copley Square to the Boston Common to celebrate Haiti’s first World Cup game in 52 years. Local soccer fans crowded around the Four Seasons Hotel to catch glimpses of the French team.

Some lucky Bostonians had the opportunity to experience the matches up close at Boston (Gillette) Stadium, including West Roxbury resident Liam Hoey, who attended the Morocco vs. Scotland game. He traveled to the stadium via commuter rail. Round-trip tickets for the “Boston Stadium Train” from South Station to Gillette Stadium cost $80 during the World Cup. Hoey remarked that taking the train was “easy,” although he left the game slightly early to beat the crowds. He enjoyed the Moroccan supporters’ drums and flares, as well as the contagious excitement of the Scottish fans.

“Scotland was accepted by Boston with open arms,” Hoey noted.

Approximately 50,000 Scotland fans – many of whom were official members of the fabled Tartan Army – made the trip to Boston for the 2026 World Cup, making international headlines and reviving the city’s nightlife. They marched downtown playing the bagpipes, took over Fenway Park, placed traffic cones on statues, and packed local bars with good vibes. Boston is creating a lasting bond with the Tartan Army by becoming sister cities with Glasgow. No Scotland, no party!

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is actually looking to make Glasgow and Boston Sister Cities. If you want to know more about the tradition, go to https://gvimes.link/sistcities

Hyde Park native Scotty Louijame went to the Haiti vs. Scotland game. His said his favorite part of the experience was the initial ceremony. “Hearing the national anthems of the countries participating, their flags displayed across the field, and getting to see all of the camaraderie between Haitians and Scots was amazing to experience,” Louijame said.

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He said he took the commuter rail from South Station to Foxborough and did not have any issues getting to the stadium. However, there were significant issues when leaving the venue, and Louijame did not make it home to Hyde Park until 3 a.m. He explained that there was a lack of signage, and the trains were moving very slowly. “I think the state could have definitely improved how the commuter rail was operated during the matches. I even heard Scots talking about how slow the train ride to the stadium was. Everyone was becoming restless as they waited in line for hours to take the train home,” stated Louijame. “I think temporarily increasing the train speeds for match days – if that was even possible – would have been the correct thing to do.”

Google Maps estimated that if Louijame had walked from Foxborough to Readville, the train would have beat him by only an hour, as it’s an estimated five-hour walk.

Boston resident Najla Habib wore her Mbappe jersey to the France vs. Norway game at Boston Stadium. Instead of taking the commuter rail from South Station to Foxborough, she opted to drive there. “Traffic was better than I expected,” she remarked. The best part of the game, according to Habib, was the hat trick by French player Dembele. In soccer, a hat trick is when one player scores three goals in a single match. Habib noted that she would have liked the Fan Fest to remain open in Downtown Boston for a longer period.

The Boston FIFA Fan Festival took place at City Hall Plaza from June 12 - June 27. More than 155,000 fans from 108 countries watched 43 live matches at the Fan Festival over the two-week period. The event also included live music, food, drinks, braided bracelets with Boston-themed charms, soccer activities, merch, and more. “After seeing the Fan Fests in other host cities, I think ours [Boston] could have been better,” said Habib.

Mayor Wu later explained that she had hoped that the Fan Festival would remain open longer, but financial limitations ultimately prevented it. Last week, she announced that City Hall Plaza would host free World Cup watch parties for the semifinals, third-place match, and final. Unlike the Fan Festival, these events are unaffiliated with FIFA.

Louijame said he believes the 2026 World Cup helped people realize how much fun Boston can be.

“This is already an extremely diverse city, but the added outdoor amenities and extended operating hours for restaurants, bars, and clubs are something that should not be limited to just this event,” he said. “The city is forever changed—visitors and residents alike have seen just how fun this city can be when communities come together just to have fun.”