Tartan Army descends on Boston as Scotland prepare for first World Cup match in 28 years

Scotland’s long-awaited return to the World Cup stage is already being celebrated in Boston, where the Tartan Army and a host of famous faces have converged ahead of the national team’s Group C opener against Haiti on Saturday at 9pm local time (2am BST).

First Minister John Swinney, Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, and former internationals James McFadden and Darren Fletcher were among the prominent arrivals in the Massachusetts city. Actor Gerard Butler, wearing a kilt and football shirt, and singer Clare Grogan were greeted by a piper at a Scottish Night Dinner and Gala Event at the Royale in Boston, held in aid of Street Soccer Scotland. Also attending were actors Martin Compston and Tony Curran, former rugby player Gregor Townsend, and broadcaster Gordon Smart.

Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney and Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster arrived at the gala in a tartan-covered car, underlining the institutional weight behind the occasion. Bars across the city were draped in blue, tartan and the Saltire, with fans packing venues including the Scotland House at the Anchor Bar.

“I’m absolutely buzzing for it — it’s been six months of waiting,” said one supporter. Another added: “I’ve been saving up for months and months to be here.”

Adding to the sense of occasion, 22-year-old charity fundraiser Craig Ferguson completed a 3,000-mile kilted walk across the United States on Friday, finishing at Boston Common to cheers from supporters and members of the Tartan Army. Ferguson, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, began the trek in Los Angeles in February in aid of Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH). He completed the journey with a day to spare and described the reception as “everything I could have dreamed of.”

Shortly before finishing, Ferguson learned that the Scottish Government had made a £400,000 donation to his campaign, pushing him past his £1 million fundraising target.

Saturday’s match against Haiti represents Scotland’s first appearance at a World Cup since France 1998 — a 28-year absence that has only sharpened the appetite of a support that has long prided itself on its travelling numbers and its spirit.