World Cup crowds drive Boston to create two downtown social districts for public drinking

Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald on Jun 18, 2026

Published in Soccer

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BOSTON — The World Cup tourism boom, led by what Boston Mayor Michelle Wu estimates has been an influx of 50,000 rowdy Scots, has prompted the city to add two downtown social districts where people can legally drink alcohol outside, starting Friday.

Wu said Thursday that the city will temporarily open two areas — at Union and Marshall streets in downtown’s Blackstone Block District and on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing — where public drinking will be allowed outside from this Friday to Friday, July 31.

The Union-Marshall Street Social District will operate from 9 a.m. to midnight on Mondays through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The Temple Place Social District will have the same Sunday hours, but close an hour earlier, at 11 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays. Temple Place will be closed to traffic.

“As Boston welcomes people from around the world to gather and enjoy our city this summer, these new social districts will create even more opportunities to build community and have fun responsibly,” Wu said in a statement. “These districts help us open our streets in a safe environment for residents and visitors to enjoy themselves, ‘sip and stroll,’ and make lasting memories in our beautiful city.”

Her office said Boston is spearheading an initiative that kicked off last week, when Gov. Maura Healey signed a law allowing for the creation of designated areas within cities and towns where patrons may consume alcohol within the public way.

The consumption zones are allowed through July 31, and are aimed at capitalizing on World Cup and summer tourism.

Typically, public drinking is a violation of the Boston Municipal Code that may lead to fines, and is generally not allowed in Massachusetts.

It won’t be a free for all, however, as drinking within the outdoor social districts will be limited to alcoholic beverages purchased from participating establishments, and a customer can only purchase one 16-ounce drink from those bars and restaurants at a time, the mayor’s office said.

People cannot bring their own drinks to consume within the two social districts. Allowed drinks will be recognizable, given that they will be sold in clear plastic containers with a sticker or other label or inscription noting the establishment that sold the drink, Wu’s office said.

City officials see the two new temporary zones as a further economic and nightlife boost, both for patrons and local businesses, this summer tourism season, and a way to build on other initiatives, such as extending last call hours to 3 a.m. through the end of July.

Boston’s sleepy nightlife scene has come alive in recent weeks, as soccer fans from around the world have flocked to the city for the World Cup. The Scots, known as the Tartan Army, have been a particular force, with some local bars reporting that they have run out of beer due to round-the-clock Scottish drinking.

Wu told reporters Thursday that “the estimate has been 50,000 Scottish fans in the Greater Boston region,” which she described as a welcome economic boost.

“The foot traffic has been much needed,” Wu said. “The infusion into our local economy has been a huge economic boom, and also just the sense of camaraderie and energy that this brings. I think people have been absolutely thrilled to need to restock the kegs and specific kinds of beer that are the preference of some of our international visitors.”