After Tartan Army takes over Boston, Robert Kraft wants to bring the Patriots to Scotland

On the heels of the Tartan Army’s takeover in Boston, Robert Kraft has made it known to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that the Patriots would be interested in playing a game in Scotland.

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Their conversation comes after Scotland played two group stage World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium, and injected the city with unrivaled revelry. Over the past week, the ever-amiable Scots, with their kilts, bagpipes, and seemingly unquenchable thirst for beer, enlivened everywhere from Patriot Place to Fenway Park to the Dubliner to Boston Harbor.

It seems only fitting that the Patriots head to Scotland next.

Kraft, who played an instrumental role in bringing the World Cup to North America, has now planted the seed for his team to play in what would be Scotland’s first NFL game.

The NFL, amid its ongoing effort for global expansion, has hosted regular-season games in seven countries outside of the United States (Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, and Spain). New destinations this year include Australia and France.

The 2026 season will feature a league-record nine international games, including the Patriots playing the Lions in Munich in Week 10. Goodell has previously stated the goal is to eventually reach 16 international games per year so that each team can play in one.

“That’s an important mark to shoot for and I think we’re on our way.” Goodell said in February ahead of the Super Bowl. “It’s the ambition we have to be a global sport, but it’s also the demand we’re having. We’re hearing from cities that want to host these games and really want to get more American football.”

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As the NFL assesses potential additional markets, Scotland sure has presented itself as an attractive choice given the budding connection between the Tartan Army and Boston.

According to Goodell, 90 percent of the crowds at international games are fans from the host country. But it sure seems plausible that Bostonians would make the trek to experience Scotland, based on the festivities from the past week.

Gillette Stadium will host four more World Cup matches: England-Ghana on Tuesday, Norway-France on Friday, a round of 32 match featuring Germany on June 29, and a quarterfinal on July 9. Depending on the results of the group stage, it’s possible Scotland returns for the round of 32.

If not, though, the Tartan Army and Bostonians may soon have a chance to reconnect once more.

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