THE World Cup is just round the corner as Scotland fans gear up for football’s showpiece tournament after a 28-year wait.
Tens of thousands of fans will descend on Boston ahead of the first fixture in the early hours of Sunday morning against Haiti.
Tartan Army foot soldiers can get settled in the city – as the next match is also at Gillette Stadium against Morocco on June 19.
The party then moves onto Miami as Steve Clarke’s side face Brazil in the final group stage match.
If we can get to the next round for the first time in our history, there’s a long list of potential locations – including Mexico.
With so much to chew on, it’s easy to be ovwehlemed by the scale of such a massive event.
But we’ve got the basics sorted so you know what’s happening.
TRAVEL
Fans will be jetting into the US from all different parts of the world.
Downtown Boston is less than five miles from the city’s largest airport, with Miami’s main hub similarly central.
Just make sure you get an ESTA (Electronic System) for Travel Authorization) if you don’t have a visa.
An ESTA covers personal travel for up to 90 days and is a legal requirement for entry to the States if a person is not in possession of a valid visa.
Applications are done online and usually approved within 72 hours – often in minutes.
However, there’s been issues with applications, meaning some fans were notified their approved status had changed to pending or been outright rejected.
People are urged to monitor the official US customs website and contact the US embassy for further assistance.
STADIUMS
AS the only team at the World Cup with two group stage matches in a row at the same stadium, the Tartan Army will get to know Gillette Stadium very well.
The home of the New England Patriots, the legendary Boston venue will host Scotland against Haiti on June 14 then the fixture against Morocco on June 19.
Although the tournament has billed Boston as hosting the fixtures, the ground is actually around 22 miles south of the city centre, in Foxborough.
It’s expected that there will be busy traffic on match days and fans are advised to plan their travel in advance.
The hosts have put on a ‘Stadium Express’ bus service , meanwhile a special ‘Boston Stadium Train’ service will run between South Station and Foxboro Station.
On every matchday, 14 express trains will run directly, taking around an hour, with no stops along the way.
However, not just anyone can board these trains.
Every ticket must be bought in advance through the MBTA mTicket app.
Briefs are priced at £60 for a return and only supporters with a valid same-day World Cup ticket can buy one.
Every traveller, including children under 11, needs their own ticket
Local transport officials believe South Station could be crowded up to six hours before kick-off.
To cope with huge numbers of fans, each train ticket is assigned a boarding group, from A to E.
Each letter on the ticket tells supporters when they must arrive at South Station to queue.
The final train to Foxboro Station is scheduled to arrive roughly 90 minutes before kick-off.
Before boarding, supporters must activate their ticket in the mTicket app and be ready to show both their train ticket and their match ticket.
For those needing another journey leg after returning to South Street, subway services will run until around 2am after weekday matches and 4am after weekend fixtures.
There is also an express bus option that will depart from various Boston-area locations, which will cost £70 for a round trip.
If fans are driving or arriving on coaches, the US tradition of tailgating will be popular before kick-off.
It involves supporters often bringing grills, chairs, and music to create a festive atmosphere.
Unlike commuter-friendly Boston for Scotland’s first two World Cup fixtures, Miami isn’t as easy to get around.
As the ground is more than 1,500 miles from Gillette Stadium, the majority of Tartan Army fans will fly into the sunshine state.
Once there, it’s vital to prepare properly for transport to Hard Rock stadium on June 24.
There is parking for nearly 27,000 cars, with supporters arriving from across Florida and via the Brightline intercity rail service.
Home to NFL outfit Miami Dolphins, the ground is the Miami Gardens region.
It’s not near many tourist attractions and is isolated compared to most other major stadiums in the US.
Brightline train offers complimentary shuttles between Aventura Station and Hard Rock.
While many will use Uber or other ride-share services.
Although only 15 miles from downtown Miami, locals warn that the journey can take more than two hours during busy traffic.
It’s advisable to treat the match like catching a flight at the airport and allow for two to three hours extra time.
Another option is to take the Metrorail to either the Golden Glades Station or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Station, and then transfer to Metrobus Route 297, which provides service to the stadium area.
Miami-Dade County is providing complimentary game-day shuttles for all ticketed fans, running from four pickup locations including Brightline’s Aventura Station, Golden Glades Intermodal Station, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Metrorail Station and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel.
However, getting to one of those hubs is left to the passengers, with the last leg to the stadium free after tickets are verified before boarding.
For those driving, take NW 199th Street (Miami Gardens Drive) from either I-95 or the Florida Turnpike, then follow the signs toward the stadium.
Parking must be pre-purchased through FIFA’s official site before arrival.
PUBS/FAN ZONES
In Boston, the official World Cup fan zone will be taking place at City Hall Plaza.
It will run for a 16-day period and is free to enter. However, fans must register online first.
The fan festival will open at 2pm on the day of Scotland‘s eagerly awaited opener against Haiti – which kicks off at 9pm local time.
With the match scheduled to finish at around 11pm, the fan festival will close at 11.30pm.
The same 2pm start time applies to our meeting with Morocco on June 19, although the kick off is 6pm local time.
It will operate daily, with programming aligned to match schedules, including live broadcasts of 2-3 matches per day – although numbers will be capped at 5,000.
There’s also a three day festival at The Haven – Boston’s only Scottish pub – from June 12 to June 24.
Owner Jason Waddleton, from Stonehaven, is selling tickets for the event online and has booked musicians to entertain punters.
While the official Scotland Pre-Match House Parties are taking place on June 12 and June 18 at The Anchor.
Other pubs expected to be full nearby include The Dubliner and Carrie Nation.
In Miami, the official World Cup Fan Festival is taking place at Bayfront Park.
The downtown location – which can host up to 30,000 people – will include a specially-built, 10,000-capacity ‘amphitheatre stage which will host live performances, cultural showcases and unique programming between games.’
There will also be giant screens erected for the fans to watch the other games at the World Cup.
