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Boston’s pubs are facing an unexpected situation as thousands of Scottish football fans have poured into the city for the World Cup, reportedly leading to a major shortage of beer.

More than 20,000 members of the Tartan Army have travelled to Massachusetts to support Scotland in their first two group stage matches.

Beyond the football action, these spirited supporters have fully immersed themselves in American culture, with many visiting Fenway Park to catch a Boston Red Sox baseball game.

The sudden influx of fans has sparked an unprecedented surge in demand for drinks, leaving several bars across the city struggling to keep up as beer stocks run dangerously low.

Noelle Somers, the chief operating officer at Hennessy’s Bar located in central Boston, highlighted the extraordinary scale of the event, revealing that business after the Scotland versus Haiti match had tripled compared to their usual St Patrick’s Day trade.

Speaking to the Boston Globe, she said, “We’ve been here for over 30 years and we’ve never seen anything like it.”

The bar reportedly ran out of beer on Sunday night before restocking on Monday morning, with another shipment expected on Thursday ahead of Scotland’s next fixture against Morocco on Friday evening.

Local brewing company Sam Adams also experienced a similar rush, with its Boston taproom running out of stock over the weekend as demand for its signature Boston lager soared to four times the normal holiday levels.

Across the city, pubs have been filled with fans dressed in blue, tartan, and waving the Saltire, as the Tartan Army turns Boston into their temporary home base.

The city’s only Scottish-themed establishment, The Haven, has become the heart of the celebrations. Its owner, Jason Waddleton, had prepared in advance by ordering over 100 kegs of Tennent’s to ensure fans could enjoy their favourite brew during the tournament.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, hundreds of England fans reportedly ignored police requests to leave a local pub after consuming more than 5,000 beers in the lead-up to the Three Lions’ World Cup opener.

Many of them stayed late into Tuesday night at the Londoner Pub, dressed in costumes and wrapped in St George’s flags. Despite the venue advertising extended hours, staff and police eventually asked fans to leave just before 10 p.m.

The establishment was eventually cleared, though several fans continued to socialise on the balcony outside for a couple of hours afterward.