Morning Sports Update

Boston's noisiest soccer critics have momentarily embraced the World Cup.

By Hayden Bird

June 17, 2026 | 11:37 AM

4 minutes to read

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Boston sports radio’s evolving World Cup takes: While not always an accurate gauge for the city’s true feelings on a particular subject, Boston sports talk radio is usually a good source for whatever is currently annoying the local population.

If there is a regional critique to be made, Boston sports radio will probably have a segment on it (or three). Such was the case for the World Cup in its seemingly interminable buildup, rocked by shortcomings and scandals prior to kickoff in June.

“It’s going to be historically awful,” predicted WEEI “Greg Hill Show” producer Chris Curtis in March, speaking specifically about the traffic situation around Foxborough.

“Cluster-F incoming,” WEEI co-host Greg Hill said later in March, revisiting the specter of game-day traffic.

At 98.5 “The Sports Hub,” co-host Tony Massarotti — speaking just last week on the day the World Cup began — ranked “soccer” as a second-tier subject in his list of “Things You’re Told You Should Care About But Don’t.”

And yet, less than a week into the World Cup, the scene has changed.

Thanks to thousands of good-natured Scots in the Tartan Army along with joyous Haitian, Norwegian, and Iraqi fans (among many others), the hearts and minds of Bostonians have begun to turn toward the World Cup’s embrace.

Remarkably, this conversion has even included soccer’s fiercest local critics.

“The vibe of the city, it is just awesome,” Curtis said on WEEI Wednesday morning. “You know when you are living [through] something, and you know in 20 years you’ll look back on it? I feel like we will look back on the ‘Summer of Scotland.’ This will be an era of Boston history that we will all remember.”

At 98.5, “Felger & Mazz” offered a surprisingly nuanced breakdown of the evolution.

“I would say the majority of Bostonians did not want this thing,” Mike Felger asserted, citing no evidence other than his own intuition. Still, he noted that traffic going to Gillette Stadium is not limited to Patriots games (given the many other concerts and events that happen there) and that the World Cup-related drive times have not (yet) been devastating.

“Those guys seem like a total blast,” Felger admitted of the Scotland fans.

“You don’t have to watch. I’m not telling you to watch it,” Felger said of the soccer itself. “I don’t care if you don’t like the sport. I like it. The games have been great. Dare I say value-add to the city?”

“Did you see that the bars are running out of beer?” Massarotti exclaimed. “I mean that’s a good problem to have!”

Trivia: Winning the World Cup is hard. Winning it a second time in a row is almost impossible. What country is the most recent to win back-to-back men’s World Cups?

(Answer at the bottom.)

Hint: Traditional soccer power.

Scores and schedules:

The Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays 6-1 on Tuesday. The two teams play again at Fenway Park this evening at 6:45 p.m.

Today in the World Cup:

• Portugal vs. DR Congo at 1 p.m.
• England vs. Croatia at 4 p.m.
• Ghana vs. Panama at 7 p.m.
• Uzbekistan vs. Colombia at 10 p.m.

More from Boston.com:

• Sorry Scotland, Erling Haaland and Norway made a compelling case as Foxborough’s favorite footballers
• 5 takeaways from Norway’s World Cup win over Iraq at Boston Stadium, as Erling Haaland got off to a soaring start
• Patriots, Kraft Group sue Foxborough over annual stadium licensing fees
• Lionel Messi ties men’s World Cup goals record with a hat trick as Argentina tops Algeria
• 190+ Boston bars and restaurants get extended World Cup hours. See the full list.
• ‘Unbelievable, man, isn’t it?’: Scotland World Cup fans try North Shore beefs
• Celtics columnist: Miami has the edge in Giannis Antetokounmpo chase
• Patriots 2026 position preview: Quarterbacks edition

France welcomed back to Boston: The Four Seasons hotel staff gave the French players a round of applause after defeating Senegal 3-1 in their World Cup opener.

Scotland’s John McGinn explains his celebration: The subject of a now-famous Tartan Army song, Scotland midfielder John McGinn scored the decisive goal in Saturday’s win over Haiti at “Boston Stadium” (Gillette Stadium).

He marked the goal with his trademark goggles celebration, which has a deeper meaning. McGinn’s nephew needs to wear goggles when he plays soccer, so the Scotland international uses his goal celebration to offer encouragement.

“Just the reaction, not only from him, and allowing him to be more comfortable playing football with his pals, it’s more the awareness for young kids all around Scotland, all around the world.”

On this day: In 2002, the United States defeated Mexico 2-0 in the Round of 16 at the World Cup. Coached by Bruce Arena, the U.S. men’s team got out to a first-half lead thanks to Brian McBride, and eventually added a second via Landon Donovan to achieve the now-famous “Dos a cero” scoreline against their CONCACAF rivals.

Future Bruins commentator Jack Edwards was on the call for ESPN, declaring at the end of the game that “the land of the free and the home of the brave is into the round of eight!” Through 2026, it remains the most recent time a U.S. men’s team has won a World Cup knockout-round game.

Daily highlight: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina in a 3-0 World Cup win over Algeria on Tuesday, tying Miroslav Klose’s all-time record for goals in the men’s edition of the famed tournament.

Trivia answer: Brazil (1958, 1962)