How Scotland fans’ partying could change drinking laws in Boston for good

Rachel DobkinWed, June 24, 2026 at 7:01 PM UTC

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Scotland soccer fans’ partying during the World Cup could be the catalyst for a permanent rewrite of Boston’s drinking laws (Getty Images)

Scotland soccer fans’ partying during the World Cup could be the catalyst for a permanent rewrite of Boston’s drinking laws.

The Tartan Army made headlines last week for drinking the historic East Coast city dry. Soccer fans poured into Boston’s restaurants and pubs as they celebrated Scotland’s win over Haiti on June 13.

"We've never seen anything like it," Billy DeCain of the Sam Adams Boston Taproom told NBC10 Boston about the wild scenes.

Soccer fans were able to party all night long thanks to a temporary extension of last call hours, which is normally at 2 a.m.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a bill earlier this month allowing bars to stay open until 3 a.m. through July 31 as people celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event and America’s 250th birthday.

But one local politician wants to keep the party going past July.

City Councilor Brian Worrell has proposed legislation that would allow bars to stay open until 3 a.m. for good.

“I know that we have been looking at different ways of pulling in more revenue as a city. This could possibly be one,” Worrell told the Boston Herald. “Boston is not only an international city come FIFA, it’s an international city year-round.”

During the Tartan Army’s Boston visit, the Sam Adams Boston Taproom ran out of its flagship Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and The White Bull Tavern was left with just one type of light American beer, according to NBC10 Boston.

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The Tartan Army drank Boston dry — now City Councilor Brian Worrell wants the party to keep going (Getty Images)

"The Scottish fans just drank the place dry and all they had was Bud Light,” Scottish fan Dave Orr told the outlet.

Aside from helping the Boston economy, Worrell hopes a permanent last call extension could compete with other places with bustling nightlife, like New York, known as the city that never sleeps.

“I’m not saying we want to get as fun as those cities. I think we are a fun city, but there’s an opportunity to be a little bit more fun,” Worrell said, emphasizing a need to “be an area that continues to attract young people [and] keep our young people.”

But Worrell wants to hear from those who would be most affected by the change before the legislation moves forward.

'I know that we have been looking at different ways of pulling in more revenue as a city. This could possibly be one,' Worrell told local media (Getty Images)

“I think the first step is to have conversations with our restaurant owners, the community members that will be dealing with the impact of the restaurants opening a little bit later, the employees that are working these hours, and then also our public safety department,” Worrell said.

“We want to make sure that they’re on board, and then bring that conversation…to the State House,” he added.

The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association has already pushed back on permanently extending last call, saying, “not a lot of good happens after midnight.”

“Scientific evidence shows that greater alcohol consumption leads to higher rates of crime and violence,” the police union wrote on X Tuesday.

“But if Brian Worrell thinks keeping bars open ‘til 3AM will boost the fun, he should try going on a ride-a-long.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”