MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The loveable kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing members of the Tartan Army quickly discovered the reality of Miami’s summer heat at the World Cup.
Many of Scotland’s most dedicated fans took over South Florida’s beaches and bars ahead of Wednesday’s match against Brazil and were greeted with temperatures peaking at 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) in Miami Gardens.
“Right now in this kilt, I am sweating,” said Hayden Sutherland, one of the thousands of fans who made the journey to the U.S. for Scotland’s first World Cup appearance since 1998. “Absolutely sweating. It’s crazy heat.”
Cloud cover provided some relief for fans at the home stadium of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins — solace some haven’t felt since their traveling tour took them from Boston to Miami.
The Tartan Army wouldn’t have fared much better back home, however, as Scotland is in the midst of a rare heat wave. On Tuesday, temperatures peaked at a surprising high of around 84 degrees F (29 degrees C).
But the humidity in Miami, fluctuating around 63-66% in the afternoons, remained relentless.
“I’ve been to warmer places, but the humidity is just killing me,” said Peter Wright, another Scottish fan. “Here, I can walk 100 meters and I’ve got a bit of sweat on. In Boston, I was walking miles and it was lovely.”
Wright, along with many other Scotland fans, wore a traditional knee-length kilt wrapped around his waist. Some said their kilts offered relief, while others found that they only added to the discomfort.
Outside the stadium, Scotland supporters were fanning themselves and trying to find shaded areas.
How are the Scots managing to cope?
“Just beer,” said Wayne Sutherland, Hayden’s father. “We’re two Scots. No water, just beer.”
As the Tartan Army takeover has gone from Boston to Miami, bars have struggled to keep up with the high demand for beer. While the fans were greeted with a “beer barge” in Miami, bars in Boston struggled as the visitors drank their way through the city.
Despite the challenges, the Tartan Army has shown that nothing can deter them from the experience of following Scotland. They barely sat during Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Brazil despite their team trailing from the seventh minute.
And they belted out “No Scotland, No Party” all throughout the day.
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Gracie Fisher is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup