Scotland's Boston love affair
Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland in Boston
There is not a statue left in the tri state area that now does not have a traffic cone for a hat, nor is there a sidewalk in Boston that has not had an unfortunate view up a kilt.
There has been - quite rightly - so much said about the tartan takeover of Fenway Park on Sunday night as the toiling Boston Red Sox were celebrated all the way to a limp 6-4 defeat to the Texas Rangers.
An on-screen proposal was done to the backing vocal of 10,000 Scots singing about John McGinn, a row of Sox fans had their view obstructed by two men doing the Gay Gordons in front of them, and organist Josh Kantor kept the hits coming while displaying a "No Scotland No Party" sign while on screen.
Scott Mullen details the Tartan Army's epic fortnight in Boston.
Scotland's totems must turn up to thwart dynamic Morocco
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer
Last weekend in Boston, Scotland played their most important game of international football in 28 years, a walk on the wildside against Haiti, a game that put the heart sideways in every Scot but, ultimately, sparked the party to end all parties in the city they called Beantown.
More like Beanotown, more like Scotland, Massachusetts.
For almost four decades there was a character in the DC Thomson comic called Ball Boy, a wee football-obsessed lad who couldn't kick a can down a street without thinking he'd scored the winner in a World Cup final.
Boston has been overtaken by Ball Boys, full-time dreamers and relentless ambassadors for their country.
There isn't a cop in the city who hasn't been charmed by them, nor a local business that hasn't benefitted hugely from the Tartan Army dollar.
They've been a happy whirlwind, a force of nature that will be missed when it blows out of town in the coming days.
Before the exodus, though, there's a job to be done. Such is the rarefied air they're breathing at this World Cup, what we said in previewing Haiti can be said again in looking forward to Morocco.
Read Tom's full feature here
Group C - standings & schedule
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Scotland are top of Group C going into the second round of fixtures, but know that their qualification for the knockout stages is still not assured.
One point against Morocco tonight should be enough to secure their progress with automatic qualification for the top two, while the best eight of the 12 third-placed finishers will also make the last 32.
Defeat, and Scotland's progress could hinge on their final group game against five-time winners Brazil.
Remaining fixtures in Group C:
Friday, 19 June
Scotland v Morocco (23:00 BST)
Saturday, 20 June
Brazil v Haiti (01:30 BST)
Wednesday, 24 June
Morocco v Haiti (23:00 BST)
Scotland v Brazil (23:00 BST)
How the Tartan Army wowed Boston
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Scotland's opening week at the World Cup was kicked off by a spine-tingling rendition of the 'Flower of Scotland' inside the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
And after a nervy 1-0 win followed over Haiti, the party spilled out into Boston and the surrounding areas.
Social media has since been awash with clips of the Tartan Army charming their hosts, even members of the local constabulary have joined the fun, cheered on by Scots as they played keepie uppies.
Highlights have included a boat full of fans burning in the midday sun singing 'Scotland's on fire', supporters marching through Boston led by pipers and a takeover of the Boston Red Sox baseball team's home, Fenway Park.
Fans have been in fine voice throughout and the locals seem to have really enjoyed the cultural exchange, albeit perhaps still in blissful ignorance about just who this John McGinn fella is.
Scotland now have one more fixture to fulfill in Boston - against Morocco tonight - before the road trip heads south for Miami and a date with Brazil...
Can Scotland keep this party going?
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
After that detour for the Premier League fixtures, we are switching our focus back to the World Cup for the next few hours.
If you have not been with us all morning, the day started with a look back at the last four games, which included significant wins for co-hosts Mexico and Canada.
The biggest talking point was the horrible injury suffered by Canada midfielder Ismael Kone, who was left with a broken leg following a tackle by Qatar's Assim Madibi.
Readers were this morning split on whether Madibi - who apologised the part he played in the injury - deserved to be sent off for the tackle.
But a poll showed that 70% of you agreed with the dismissal.
That was yesterday/early this morning - now it's time to take a long run up to Scotland v Morocco (23:00 BST).
As the song goes, "No Scotland, No Party" - but can Steve Clarke's men take the Tartan Army's party into the knockout stages for the first time in their history?
Man Utd have 'easiest' start to Premier League season
Premier League
Our friends at Opta have crunched the numbers and itâs Manchester United who come out with the easiest opening five fixtures of the 2026-27 Premier League season
That is despite them having to play Manchester derby as Michael Carrick begins his first full season as manager at Old Trafford.
Liverpool and Newcastle also rank among the easiest starts (18th and 19th respectively), while reigning champions Arsenal (13th) and Manchester City (14th) are mid-pack.
At the other end, it's Bournemouth who have the most difficult opening to their league campaign as they begin life without Andoni Iraola by facing City, Everton, Newcastle, Brentford and Liverpool in their opening five games.
Follow your team on the BBC Sport website and app
BBC Sport
A reminder that if you're a fan of a Premier League team, we've got a bespoke page just for you.
It is your one-stop shop for the latest news, insight, expert analysis, fan views, stats and gossip.
To get started, choose your club from our club-by-club page.
Once there, hit 'Follow' to make sure you do not miss a beat.
If you are on the BBC Sport app, you can use the bell icon to sign up for news alerts and if signed in on a browser, you will start seeing more content about your club on your BBC Sport homepage.
A home starter but tough run-in for Man City
Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter
Manchester City begin life without Pep Guardiola by hosting Bournemouth on Sunday, 23 August in their opening game of the 2026-27 Premier League season.
City face champions Arsenal in the Community Shield the week before, but face a tough started against the Cherries, who ended last term with a remarkable 18-game unbeaten run.
Eyes then turned to when they come up against rivals Manchester United, with those two matches scheduled to take place in September (a) and March (h), while they face the Gunners in November (a) and January (h).
Should Enzo Maresca take charge as expected, he will face his former club Chelsea in December (h) and April (a), while City travel to Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
City pushed Arsenal all the way in the title race last season but have an extremely tough run-in this time around, hosting Champions League qualified Liverpool and Aston Villa in May.
They also have a long trip to Ipswich in the final month of the campaign, rounding off the season by travelling up north to face Sunderland, who have qualified for the Europa League.
Yes, all teams play the same amount of games home and away against each other, but the fixtures could have fallen more kindly for City in the latter part of the season.
Can new Palace boss follow on Glasner success?
Crystal Palace
Some 28 months ago, Oliver Glasner joined Crystal Palace as an unknown manager from the Bundesliga.
Fast forward two years and he left a legend, someone who took my team to heights I thought unimaginable and with three trophies in the cabinet.
Now Palace sit in familiar territory after the lesser-known Pierre Sage was unveiled as the new boss.
Crystal Palace will begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign with a trip to Everton, with the Eagles' facing Manchester City as the first home fixture.
Following last season's Uefa Conference League triumph, the Eagles could have another busy season if they go far into the Europa League.
Glasner has left big shoes to fill, but can Pierre Sage start his own French revolution at Selhurst Park?
Crystal Palace first five fixtures:
Everton (A)
Manchester City (H)
Fulham (A)
Ipswich Town (H)
Leeds United (A)
Europe awaits for new Bournemouth boss
Bournemouth
Marco Rose will take of Bournemouth in a season set to be filled with history ahead for the Cherries.
Rose takes over from Iraola, who did not sign a new deal at Vitality Stadium and made the switch to Liverpool.
Rose has been without a club since he was sacked by RB Leipzig in March 2025, has never previously managed in England and will start his tenure with a tough trip to Manchester City.
Can the German be the man to make history as Bournemouth venture into Europe for the very first time?
Bournemouth first five fixtures:
Manchester City (A)
Everton (H)
Newcastle United (A)
Brentford (H)
Liverpool (H)
The four new faces in Premier League dugouts
Four managers will be making their Premier League bow in the 2026-27 season.
Chelsea, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace have all appointed new managers who have never taken charge of a team in the English top flight before.
Saying that, the Blues' new head coach Xabi Alonso has extensive Premier League experience as a player, making 143 league appearances for Liverpool.
Palace have appointed Ligue 1's manager of the year Pierre Sage, with the 47-year-old Frenchman replacing outgoing boss Oliver Glasner following the end of his contract.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, will be led by former RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose, with the German joining the Cherries following the departure of Andoni Iraola to Liverpool.
Elsewhere, 49-year-old Bosnian Sergej Jakirovic will lead Hull City on their return to the Premier League following their promotion via the Championship play-offs.
The number of new faces could rise further, with Manchester City, Fulham and Ipswich Town all yet to officially fill their managerial vacancies.
Key things to look out for this season
Premier League
There will be a change in the way Premier League referees judge hair-pulling next season after three players were sent off for the offence in 2025-26.
All three red cards for hair-pulling came through a video assistant referee review, but from next season, not every time a player is seen to pull an opponent's hair will they be dismissed.
Instead, greater emphasis will be placed on both the level of force and the intention.
Referees will be told to look for a "clear and deliberate action" which has "excessive force and/or brutality".
In addition, officials will be asked to place a greater emphasis on grappling and holding inside the area after it became commonplace on corners and set-pieces.
Referees will be told to pay much more attention to "holding actions that have clear material impact".
This includes players who are "clearly only focused on opponents and making a holding action".
A solution to stop goalkeeper "tactical timeouts" is also set to be introduced.
The tactic is used by managers to get new instructions to their players or to impact the momentum of the opposition. The Premier League is discussing a solution before the new season while a new law to tackle general time-wasting by goalkeepers will be introduced.
If keepers delay a restart on a goal-kick, a referee can start a five-second countdown. If time runs out, the opposition will be given a corner.
Manchester United season to appear in Amazon documentary
Manchester United
Manchester United's 2026-27 campaign will be documented by Amazon Prime as part of their fly-on-the-wall All or Nothing series.
United are the fourth English top-flight side to sign a deal with Amazon, following Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester City.
The club have brokered a record access fee for any comparable documentary.
Filming will begin in pre-season, with the show offering viewers "unprecedented access" to the men's, women's, and academy players and staff in the Old Trafford dressing room, at their Carrington training ground, and beyond.
Amazon launched the documentary series in 2016, following NFL side the Arizona Cardinals and have since expanded the franchise to football, ice hockey, and rugby union.
Will it be a season full of trophies or lots of on screen bloopers?
Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland in Boston
There is not a statue left in the tri state area that now does not have a traffic cone for a hat, nor is there a sidewalk in Boston that has not had an unfortunate view up a kilt.
There has been - quite rightly - so much said about the tartan takeover of Fenway Park on Sunday night as the toiling Boston Red Sox were celebrated all the way to a limp 6-4 defeat to the Texas Rangers.
An on-screen proposal was done to the backing vocal of 10,000 Scots singing about John McGinn, a row of Sox fans had their view obstructed by two men doing the Gay Gordons in front of them, and organist Josh Kantor kept the hits coming while displaying a "No Scotland No Party" sign while on screen.
Scott Mullen details the Tartan Army's epic fortnight in Boston.
Scotland's totems must turn up to thwart dynamic Morocco
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer
Last weekend in Boston, Scotland played their most important game of international football in 28 years, a walk on the wildside against Haiti, a game that put the heart sideways in every Scot but, ultimately, sparked the party to end all parties in the city they called Beantown.
More like Beanotown, more like Scotland, Massachusetts.
For almost four decades there was a character in the DC Thomson comic called Ball Boy, a wee football-obsessed lad who couldn't kick a can down a street without thinking he'd scored the winner in a World Cup final.
Boston has been overtaken by Ball Boys, full-time dreamers and relentless ambassadors for their country.
There isn't a cop in the city who hasn't been charmed by them, nor a local business that hasn't benefitted hugely from the Tartan Army dollar.
They've been a happy whirlwind, a force of nature that will be missed when it blows out of town in the coming days.
Before the exodus, though, there's a job to be done. Such is the rarefied air they're breathing at this World Cup, what we said in previewing Haiti can be said again in looking forward to Morocco.
Read Tom's full feature here
Group C - standings & schedule
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Scotland are top of Group C going into the second round of fixtures, but know that their qualification for the knockout stages is still not assured.
One point against Morocco tonight should be enough to secure their progress with automatic qualification for the top two, while the best eight of the 12 third-placed finishers will also make the last 32.
Defeat, and Scotland's progress could hinge on their final group game against five-time winners Brazil.
Remaining fixtures in Group C:
Friday, 19 June
Scotland v Morocco (23:00 BST)
Saturday, 20 June
Brazil v Haiti (01:30 BST)
Wednesday, 24 June
Morocco v Haiti (23:00 BST)
Scotland v Brazil (23:00 BST)
How the Tartan Army wowed Boston
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
Scotland's opening week at the World Cup was kicked off by a spine-tingling rendition of the 'Flower of Scotland' inside the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
And after a nervy 1-0 win followed over Haiti, the party spilled out into Boston and the surrounding areas.
Social media has since been awash with clips of the Tartan Army charming their hosts, even members of the local constabulary have joined the fun, cheered on by Scots as they played keepie uppies.
Highlights have included a boat full of fans burning in the midday sun singing 'Scotland's on fire', supporters marching through Boston led by pipers and a takeover of the Boston Red Sox baseball team's home, Fenway Park.
Fans have been in fine voice throughout and the locals seem to have really enjoyed the cultural exchange, albeit perhaps still in blissful ignorance about just who this John McGinn fella is.
Scotland now have one more fixture to fulfill in Boston - against Morocco tonight - before the road trip heads south for Miami and a date with Brazil...
Can Scotland keep this party going?
Scotland v Morocco (Fri, 23:00 BST)
After that detour for the Premier League fixtures, we are switching our focus back to the World Cup for the next few hours.
If you have not been with us all morning, the day started with a look back at the last four games, which included significant wins for co-hosts Mexico and Canada.
The biggest talking point was the horrible injury suffered by Canada midfielder Ismael Kone, who was left with a broken leg following a tackle by Qatar's Assim Madibi.
Readers were this morning split on whether Madibi - who apologised the part he played in the injury - deserved to be sent off for the tackle.
But a poll showed that 70% of you agreed with the dismissal.
That was yesterday/early this morning - now it's time to take a long run up to Scotland v Morocco (23:00 BST).
As the song goes, "No Scotland, No Party" - but can Steve Clarke's men take the Tartan Army's party into the knockout stages for the first time in their history?
Man Utd have 'easiest' start to Premier League season
Premier League
Our friends at Opta have crunched the numbers and itâs Manchester United who come out with the easiest opening five fixtures of the 2026-27 Premier League season
That is despite them having to play Manchester derby as Michael Carrick begins his first full season as manager at Old Trafford.
Liverpool and Newcastle also rank among the easiest starts (18th and 19th respectively), while reigning champions Arsenal (13th) and Manchester City (14th) are mid-pack.
At the other end, it's Bournemouth who have the most difficult opening to their league campaign as they begin life without Andoni Iraola by facing City, Everton, Newcastle, Brentford and Liverpool in their opening five games.
Follow your team on the BBC Sport website and app
BBC Sport
A reminder that if you're a fan of a Premier League team, we've got a bespoke page just for you.
It is your one-stop shop for the latest news, insight, expert analysis, fan views, stats and gossip.
To get started, choose your club from our club-by-club page.
Once there, hit 'Follow' to make sure you do not miss a beat.
If you are on the BBC Sport app, you can use the bell icon to sign up for news alerts and if signed in on a browser, you will start seeing more content about your club on your BBC Sport homepage.
A home starter but tough run-in for Man City
Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter
Manchester City begin life without Pep Guardiola by hosting Bournemouth on Sunday, 23 August in their opening game of the 2026-27 Premier League season.
City face champions Arsenal in the Community Shield the week before, but face a tough started against the Cherries, who ended last term with a remarkable 18-game unbeaten run.
Eyes then turned to when they come up against rivals Manchester United, with those two matches scheduled to take place in September (a) and March (h), while they face the Gunners in November (a) and January (h).
Should Enzo Maresca take charge as expected, he will face his former club Chelsea in December (h) and April (a), while City travel to Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
City pushed Arsenal all the way in the title race last season but have an extremely tough run-in this time around, hosting Champions League qualified Liverpool and Aston Villa in May.
They also have a long trip to Ipswich in the final month of the campaign, rounding off the season by travelling up north to face Sunderland, who have qualified for the Europa League.
Yes, all teams play the same amount of games home and away against each other, but the fixtures could have fallen more kindly for City in the latter part of the season.
Can new Palace boss follow on Glasner success?
Crystal Palace
Some 28 months ago, Oliver Glasner joined Crystal Palace as an unknown manager from the Bundesliga.
Fast forward two years and he left a legend, someone who took my team to heights I thought unimaginable and with three trophies in the cabinet.
Now Palace sit in familiar territory after the lesser-known Pierre Sage was unveiled as the new boss.
Crystal Palace will begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign with a trip to Everton, with the Eagles' facing Manchester City as the first home fixture.
Following last season's Uefa Conference League triumph, the Eagles could have another busy season if they go far into the Europa League.
Glasner has left big shoes to fill, but can Pierre Sage start his own French revolution at Selhurst Park?
Crystal Palace first five fixtures:
Everton (A)
Manchester City (H)
Fulham (A)
Ipswich Town (H)
Leeds United (A)
Europe awaits for new Bournemouth boss
Bournemouth
Marco Rose will take of Bournemouth in a season set to be filled with history ahead for the Cherries.
Rose takes over from Iraola, who did not sign a new deal at Vitality Stadium and made the switch to Liverpool.
Rose has been without a club since he was sacked by RB Leipzig in March 2025, has never previously managed in England and will start his tenure with a tough trip to Manchester City.
Can the German be the man to make history as Bournemouth venture into Europe for the very first time?
Bournemouth first five fixtures:
Manchester City (A)
Everton (H)
Newcastle United (A)
Brentford (H)
Liverpool (H)
The four new faces in Premier League dugouts
Four managers will be making their Premier League bow in the 2026-27 season.
Chelsea, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace have all appointed new managers who have never taken charge of a team in the English top flight before.
Saying that, the Blues' new head coach Xabi Alonso has extensive Premier League experience as a player, making 143 league appearances for Liverpool.
Palace have appointed Ligue 1's manager of the year Pierre Sage, with the 47-year-old Frenchman replacing outgoing boss Oliver Glasner following the end of his contract.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, will be led by former RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose, with the German joining the Cherries following the departure of Andoni Iraola to Liverpool.
Elsewhere, 49-year-old Bosnian Sergej Jakirovic will lead Hull City on their return to the Premier League following their promotion via the Championship play-offs.
The number of new faces could rise further, with Manchester City, Fulham and Ipswich Town all yet to officially fill their managerial vacancies.
Key things to look out for this season
Premier League
There will be a change in the way Premier League referees judge hair-pulling next season after three players were sent off for the offence in 2025-26.
All three red cards for hair-pulling came through a video assistant referee review, but from next season, not every time a player is seen to pull an opponent's hair will they be dismissed.
Instead, greater emphasis will be placed on both the level of force and the intention.
Referees will be told to look for a "clear and deliberate action" which has "excessive force and/or brutality".
In addition, officials will be asked to place a greater emphasis on grappling and holding inside the area after it became commonplace on corners and set-pieces.
Referees will be told to pay much more attention to "holding actions that have clear material impact".
This includes players who are "clearly only focused on opponents and making a holding action".
A solution to stop goalkeeper "tactical timeouts" is also set to be introduced.
The tactic is used by managers to get new instructions to their players or to impact the momentum of the opposition. The Premier League is discussing a solution before the new season while a new law to tackle general time-wasting by goalkeepers will be introduced.
If keepers delay a restart on a goal-kick, a referee can start a five-second countdown. If time runs out, the opposition will be given a corner.
Manchester United season to appear in Amazon documentary
Manchester United
Manchester United's 2026-27 campaign will be documented by Amazon Prime as part of their fly-on-the-wall All or Nothing series.
United are the fourth English top-flight side to sign a deal with Amazon, following Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester City.
The club have brokered a record access fee for any comparable documentary.
Filming will begin in pre-season, with the show offering viewers "unprecedented access" to the men's, women's, and academy players and staff in the Old Trafford dressing room, at their Carrington training ground, and beyond.
Amazon launched the documentary series in 2016, following NFL side the Arizona Cardinals and have since expanded the franchise to football, ice hockey, and rugby union.
Will it be a season full of trophies or lots of on screen bloopers?
