New to the message board, thanks for allowing me to join. I have lived in Boston nearly all my life and thought I could provide some tips and info that may be helpful to some.
First, I could not be more excited for the World Cup. I'll be attending the 2 Scotland matches at Gillette Stadium (Boston stadium). Will be representing my Scottish heritage (surname Ross) with my buddy (surname Craig). We bought kilts, sporrans, etc. and we can’t wait to party with the Tartan Army!
Some stadium information: Gillette stadium is sort of in the middle of nowhere Foxborough, MA, about 45 minutes from Boston without traffic. If you are attending matches, you're probably taking the commuter rail or driving and parking there, unless you have a group bus. Uber/Lyft will be a massive pain with drivers trying to get into and out of the area. If you are planning on taking the train, tickets are $80 per person and must be purchased in advance on the MBTA website. If driving, you also need to purchase parking in advance if using the official parking (.https://www.justpark.com/us/event-parking/fifa-world-cup-2026/boston-stadium/). Yes, it's $175 and yes that is an insane price, so is the cost of the train. There will likely be parking at the businesses along the way a little further from the stadium as well on game day but I doubt it will be any cheaper. If you are driving (and this is important) plan to go EARLY. Parking lots open 4 hours before the match. Traffic can be an absolute nightmare getting to and from Gillette stadium from Boston so plan accordingly.
Now, us Americans love our tailgating so the atmosphere in the parking lots will be fantastic. When tailgating we typically drink, some people bring grills to cook food, we play games in the lot like ladder golf and cornhole, and throw around the (american) football around. Most New England Patriots fans are pros when it comes to tailgating now. Everyone is social and jumping in to play a game or sharing a beer with a tailgating group is definitely encouraged! Tailgating is also allowed after the game if you want to hang out and let the traffic lighten up before leaving.
Another important thing is sunscreen. My very white Scottish skin would be lobster red after being outside all day without it. It can get very hot here in the summer but New England weather is also volatile. It might be anywhere from 55° to 100°F (13 to 38C). Try and be as prepared as possible but I can't stress enough how quickly you can get sunburned on a hot day.
Lastly, tickets. If you're on this board and going, you likely already have tickets. For those that don't, I might suggest waiting until closer to game day, maybe 1-3 days before. Not only will FIFA probably drop more tickets, the prices on the secondary market here (buying from touts) usually drop a few days before. The FIFA marketplace obviously is one place to look but Stubhub and SeatGeek (and a few others) are typically just as safe to buy from if you find a good deal.
Very much hoping to meet some of the Army before and during the matches. We'll be in section 140 for the match v Morocco (I believe the Scotland supporter sections are 141-143). One quick suggestion...I have been learning the songs and chants. "No Scotland, No Party" is my current favorite but I like the McTominay one too. Someone should put together a "cheat sheet" or list of your songs and chants to hand out to fans before the game. Or at least the most common ones. I bet you would get a ton more to join in and make the atmosphere even better.
Feel free to ask any questions about the Boston area or what to expect on the day of the match. See you all soon!
