The World Cup is here. Follow live updates leading up to Boston’s first match.
Are you finally feeling the World Cup fever?
Thousands of soccer fans have descended upon the region as the quadrennial tournament kicks off with its first game in Massachusetts since the United States last hosted in 1994.
Read more Game 68: Rangers at Red Sox lineups and preview
The Globe has journalists stationed across the region — in downtown Boston, in Providence, and riding the commuter rail to Foxborough — to capture the scene and share live updates ahead of kickoff.
Follow along.
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Here’s what you need to know about the World Cup in Boston today
- The first World Cup match at Gillette Stadium — rebranded “Boston Stadium” for duration of the tournament — is Haiti vs. Scotland. It kicks off at 9 p.m. on Fox. Here are more details on how to watch and stream.
- The FIFA Fan Festival at City Hall Plaza opens at 2 p.m. While it is free to enter, you must register and it is “sold out” for the weekend.
- There are plenty of other watch parties in the area, though. Here’s a list of 90-plus throughout the state.
- If you’re headed to the game, track live traffic conditions in the Foxborough area, specifically around Gillette Stadium, here. Check the weather forecast here.
World Cup: Boston live updates
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He walked across the country to see Scotland in the World Cup. His last stop? Boston. — 1:30 p.m.
By Matt Porter, Globe Staff
He walked 500 miles. Then he walked 500 more.
For Craig Ferguson, that was only the beginning.
Since late February, the Scottish soccer superfan has been walking across America, more than 3,100 miles from Los Angeles to Boston, to accomplish two goals: raise money for mental health services in his country, and arrive in time for Scotland’s opener against Haiti on Saturday — the Scots’ first World Cup match in 28 years.
As a vehicle for celebration and donation, the 22-year-old hiked the world’s fourth-widest nation. He is believed to be the first to go coast-to-coast in a kilt.
“Adventure, that’s the heart of it,” said Ferguson, a content creator from Paisley, the town west of Glasgow known for its teardrop textile. “Being able to tell my kids one day that I walked across an entire country like the US is pretty cool to me.”
When he arrived there on Friday, it was his 109th day on the road. He has taken six rest days in that time. His longest day covered more than 40 miles, some 82,000 steps, and nearly 12 hours. He has climbed nearly 3,000 feet on some days while burning upward of 4,500 calories.
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Boston officially has the world’s largest soccer ball — 1:15 p.m.
By Jaden Perry, Globe Correspondent
The World’s Largest Soccer Ball is officially in Boston, adding another point on the scoreboard for the World Cup host city.
The 47-foot-tall soccer ball was officially given the title Friday, at an event held in East Boston. The achievement was officiated by Guinness World Records.
“Go big or go home in Boston,” Mayor Michelle Wu said to a crowd of people in Piers Park, where the soccer ball stands.
The Guinness World Record official adjudicator, Andy Glass, joined Wu on stage. And, after her speech, he awarded the city with Guinness’ celebrated plaque.
“There’s one more exciting thing to see in East Boston,” Wu said.
Throughout the event, the giant blue ball loomed over the speakers. Tethered by long wires to fixate its place on stage, the inflatable is printed with the silhouettes of the world’s continents — a tribute to those coming here for the tournament from across the world.
“We’re welcoming the world to Boston,” said Senator Lydia Edwards, who represents the East Boston area. “It’s just incredible that the world will be able to see what we get to see every day, which is a beautiful, vibrant green city that is welcoming to all.”
Over the next week, the ball will remain inflated at Piers Park.
Video: He promised his son they’d go to the World Cup — 1:00 p.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
PROVIDENCE — Conrad Balatoni, 35, and his son, Theo, 9, arrived in downtown Providence from Edinburgh on Friday. They chose to travel to Providence because it was cheaper and closer to Boston Stadium in Foxborough.
Balatoni said he “promised” Theo that if the Scottish national team qualified for the World Cup, he’d bring his son to the United States to see them play.
“It’s really special. I have never seen a Scotland game live, so I am excited that my first one will be a World Cup match,” Theo said.
Balatoni said the trip is special for him because he also played professional soccer in the Scottish Premier League.
“It’s good seeing boys I played with, such as Scott McKenna, who plays center back, playing at the highest level in World Football,” Balatoni said. “It’s a testament to the hard work they’ve put in to get to the highest level and give us Scottish fans something special to experience.”
Balatoni had one more promise for Theo.
“What if they go to the final?” Theo asked his dad.
“If they go to the final, we’ll go,” Conrad said.
Scottish fans take to downtown Providence ahead of match — 12:45 p.m.
By Omar Mohammed, Globe Staff
PROVIDENCE — Hours before Scotland was scheduled to take to the field, Chris McLeish, 45, and his brother-in-law Dave Paton were getting ready to head into the G Pub in downtown Providence around 11 a.m.
The duo from Glasgow arrived in Boston the night before and plan to head to Foxborough later this afternoon. But the pair stopped off for a pint first.
“We are hoping for a good time,” McLeish said while sporting the jersey of Scotland’s Scott McTominay. “A Scotland victory and a good time. No Scotland, no party. It’s a Tartan Army slogan.”
At a street festival near the pub, Jack McKenzie, 14, from Alloa in Central Scotland, and his cousin Derren Douglas, 12, were with their parents enjoying the bright, hot start to the day. The group plans to head to the game around 2 p.m.
“We expect to win [tonight], and if we win, we’ll have a big chance of going through,” McKenzie said.
About the match: Scotland’s captain should be good to go — 12:30 p.m.
By Frank Dell’Apa, Globe Correspondent
Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has recovered from a stomach ailment and is expected to play against Haiti in a World Cup Group C game on Saturday night.
McTominay arrived in Boston from Charlotte, N.C., on a separate flight, accompanied by a doctor, then practiced with the team Friday at the Revolution Training Center. (Training visitors included restauranteur Gordon Ramsay, who played for Rangers on a trial basis in the 1980s.)
McTominay, 29, converted a key goal off a bicycle kick in a 4-2 win over Denmark that clinched qualification in November.
“I’ve got 26 superstars here. To try to put so much onto one person is not fair,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. “We are delighted with Scott’s abilities and what he can bring to the team. But we are going to need another 15 to bring the same if we want to have a positive tournament.”
After transferring from Manchester United to Napoli two years ago, McTominay emerged among the top attacking midfielders in Serie A and on the international stage. Until recently, though, Clarke had McTominay lining up on the back line for Scotland.
“Some daft head coach put him as a center half five years ago,” Clarke said.
Scotland, which last competed in the finals in 1998, has been revived under Clarke’s coaching.
“It’s going to be a difficult game. First time in 28 years we’ve been here, first time for Haiti since 1974. They’re also a proud nation. They’re going to be here 100 percent committed, same as we are,” he said. “And we know they have qualities that can cause us problems on the pitch, so we have to deal with those problems and we have to try and bring our best game to the pitch when we have the ball. If we can do that, then, hopefully that will be enough to win the game.
“It’s going to be a squad World Cup. The starting team is important, [but] I think you’ll find a lot of games the team that finishes the game is every bit as important, if not more important.”
About the match: Haiti back in tournament for first time since 1974 — 12:15 p.m.
By Frank Dell’Apa, Globe Correspondent
Haiti’s World Cup qualifying experiences have been unique. In 1974, it played host to the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament, all matches contested at Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince. Les Grenadiers advanced to the finals for the first time, but lost all three games in Germany.
This time, Haiti played all its qualifiers on the road, becoming the first country to make it to the finals that way.
“Today, it’s a whole different story,” Haiti coach Sebastian Migne said. “It is different from the 1974 era, and it is up to us to rise to the challenge.”
Migne said earning at least a point “would be a huge reward for the garçons, and even if we didn’t score any points [in the first two games], with the new rules, the best eight [third-place teams] advance. But we hope to accomplish that tomorrow, if possible playing nice soccer, so we can take the fans with us, and cultivate excitement around us. There are always teams like this, and we could be one.”
Migne called forward Frantzdy Pierrot, born in Cap Haïtien and raised in Melrose, “one of the pillars” of the team.
“What is great for him, he is currently at his best,” Migne said. “And he is in his hometown for his first game in the World Cup. That adds to the motivation and to the pressure, and I trust him to manage that.”
Looking for a last-minute ticket to Haiti-Scotland? It’ll cost ya. — 12:00 p.m.
By Katie McInerney, Globe Staff
Most fans headed to Saturday’s World Cup game probably have tickets already — and for good reason: Tickets on sale right now are well over $1,000 and are likely to climb as kickoff approaches.
If you’re planning to head to the game, you better have your travel planned. Tickets to take the commuter rail to the stadium are sold out.
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