How Americans are welcoming World Cup fans from across the globe

Amna Nawaz:

Most of the headlines from this first week of World Cup matches have been from the games themselves, but, off the field, the constellation of American host cities and the way they have embraced teams from around the globe as their own have sparked their own memorable moments.

Residents in Lawrence, Kansas, have welcomed the Algerian team to their city, where flags now adorn storefronts and cheers for the Greens, as they're known, echo through the streets. In Dallas, team Croatia found everything is bigger in Texas, including an enormous flag unfurled for a welcome parade downtown.

And Boston is the site of a Tartan Army takeover playing host to team Scotland, whose fans let a 5,000-strong bagpipe March and reportedly drained local bars dry in celebration.

MAN:

I haven't seen Boston party like this in a very long time, so having it be in Boston especially, a city with a lot of immigrants, a lot of passion for the sport, it's great. It's great to see.

Amna Nawaz:

Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney has been covering the excitement around the games and the parade of international pride that comes with it.

Woman:

Haitian people, we always have energy, whatever the circumstances.

Woman:

To be a Cape Verdean is already a victory. We already won.

Woman:

Vivo Cape Verde!

(Cheering)

MAN:

As soon as that goal went in, I went, I'm going to America.

Amna Nawaz:

And Emily Sweeney joins us now from Boston.

Emily, welcome to the "News Hour." Thanks for joining us.

Emily Sweeney, The Boston Globe:

Yes, thanks so much for having me.

Amna Nawaz:

All right, so just give us a sense of what it is like there in Boston, hosting the Scottish team, and also all these World Cup matches. What's the vibe?

Emily Sweeney:

Yes, well I got to say, I have never seen so many kilts in my life.

(Laughter)

Emily Sweeney:

I walked out of the newsroom, my office building, and, seriously, like, you look around, to your left, your right, kilts, kilts, kilts everywhere. There's people singing in the streets. The energy is great. The vibe has been totally positive.

And I think Bostonians have been, like-, pleasantly surprised at just how cool all the tourists coming in for the World Cup have been.

Amna Nawaz:

You told the story of this one Scottish superfan I want you to tell us more about, a man named Craig Ferguson. He walked 3,000 miles from Los Angeles to Boston for the match. Why did he do that? And what was it like when he arrived on Boston Common?

Emily Sweeney:

Yes, so he walked a long way in a kilt across the country, and he was using Boston Common as his finish line.

And so I was there along with countless Scottish fans who were there to, like, cheer him on when he arrived. And I got to say, it was a huge, huge crowd on Boston Common, people playing bagpipes, people holding flags, singing. It was such a -- I mean, the crowd was huge. It was really hard to even get to Craig when he arrived.

But I got to say, and he was raising awareness for mental health and raising money for mental health. So it was a really good cause, a really good day, and I was shocked at just how large the crowd was.

Amna Nawaz:

It's not just the Scottish fans, we should point out. We know greater Boston is home to the third largest Haitian community in the country. I know you covered the lead-up to their match, Haiti versus Scotland. Tell us about that.

Emily Sweeney:

Yes. So, like, all the people, all the local fans and fans from abroad. I mean, Haiti has waited such a long time to return to the World Cup. It's been over 50 years, and so it was like 1974 was the last time they were in it.

And the fans that I talked to and interviewed were just so excited. Some of them have literally been waiting 50 years to see this moment, and they were just so pumped before the game. And so I joined them for like a pregame celebration.

And, again, there was music. There was dancing. People had the colors out. It was just a really good time and everybody was so positive. And we had, like, Scottish fans come in too. And they joined. It was really cool to see. It's been amazing.

Amna Nawaz:

We should note here too, Emily, it's not just Boston. We're seeing cities and towns around the country just open their arms and embrace these teams from around the world.

Why do you think that's resonating the way that it is with everyone who's watching?

Emily Sweeney:

Well, with all the crazy things going on in the world, it's really nice to see just people from all different places just getting along and all coming together for, like, one thing to watch soccer, a great sport.

And I got to say it's brought so much joy to the city of Boston. I got to say, everywhere you look, you will see, often on statues -- we have lots of statues in Boston, lots of history -- there's orange traffic cones appearing on the statues' heads. And I got to say, it looks great. You have these very serious statues with a nice orange cone.

And it's a little tradition that was brought over from Scotland that has been shared by the Tartan Army with us. And it's been great to see all the traffic cones appearing on our statues.

(Laughter)

Amna Nawaz:

So, Emily, I should point out too, you cover a lot of different things for The Globe as their social video journalist. I think this is the first World Cup you have covered.

Has any one moment stuck out to you? What's it been like for you to cover this?

Emily Sweeney:

Oh, geez.

Well, it's hard to pick. Being at the watch party with the Cape Verde fans, we have a large Cape Verdean community in Massachusetts, in Greater Boston and Southeastern Mass. And it was their first World Cup. And holding off Spain and seeing the goalkeeping, the defense. And just -- and the fans were just going crazy for it.

And it was just awesome, awesome to see. And I felt honored to be just a part of the crowd for that. That was really cool.

Amna Nawaz:

So much joy. We can't thank you enough for taking the time to share it with us today.

Emily Sweeney of The Boston Globe, appreciate your time.

Emily Sweeney:

Thank you so much.