Boston Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Scotland’s Famous Traffic Cone
It arrived in a first-class seat, was met by a live bagpiper, and was officially welcomed by the governor of Massachusetts and the mayor of Boston. The guest of honour? An orange traffic cone from Glasgow.
According to The Guardian, Tuesday saw the so-called “Boston cone” touch down at Boston Logan International Airport to considerable fanfare — a ceremony that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey herself admitted was a first. “I have to admit, this is probably my first official welcoming ceremony for a traffic cone,” Healey said, before signing her name to it.
The cone has become one of the more unlikely symbols of Scotland’s run at the 2026 World Cup. During their time in Boston, Scottish fans — the tartan army — made a habit of placing bright orange traffic cones atop the city’s statues, echoing a long-running Glasgow tradition that dates back to a late-night prank in the 1980s. The most famous example back home is the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow city centre, where the cone has sat so persistently that public opposition has blocked repeated attempts to remove it.
In Boston, the cone appeared on statues of Samuel Adams outside Faneuil Hall, Celtics legend Red Auerbach outside TD Garden, and even on the beloved Make Way for Ducklings sculptures in the Public Garden. Mayor Michelle Wu joked that the city had “unofficially become New Scotland” during the tournament — and noted that some cones were still in place.
The tartan army also left Boston’s bar trade in mild disarray, with several venues running out of beer and scrambling for emergency deliveries to keep up with demand. Healey acknowledged the contribution with a laugh, promising Scottish fans that Massachusetts “will never again run out of beer” if they return.
The commemorative cone, decorated with illustrations celebrating both cities and bearing the slogan “No Boston, No Party”, will now spend a week touring Massachusetts landmarks before heading back to Scotland. The tour is raising money for mental health charities.
Danny Campbell, one of the cone’s Scottish escorts, was keen to stress that it represents something more than a running gag. “This is not just a silly cone,” he said. “It means love.”
For those who followed Scotland’s remarkable World Cup journey, you can catch up with all the results and group-stage drama at our live standings, or head to our full World Cup 2026 hub for ongoing coverage.