Celebrating the World Cup in Aberdeen
This guest blog was written by Charlie Allan, Welcome to Aberdeenshire volunteer and former sports editor for Aberdeen Evening Express.
World Cup fans can get their football fix right here in the North-east of Scotland during the greatest sporting event on the planet.
National coach Steve Clarke and his squad have qualified for the 2026 finals, being staged in USA, Canada and Mexico, ending an agonising 28 year wait for the Tartan Army’s invite to the party of all parties.
Thousands of Scotland supporters will actually be in the USA to see their team take on Haiti, Morocco (in Boston) and Brazil (in Miami) during the group stages in what will be the country’s first appearance at a World Cup finals since 1998.
I was fortunate to be at those previous finals, hosted by France, while working as a sports writer for the Aberdeen Evening Express.
The undoubted highlight was being in the magnificent Parc des Princes in Paris, to report on the opening match, when Scotland also faced five time World Cup winners Brazil.
My heart burst with pride as I looked on from the stands, dressed in full Scottish national dress, as then manager Craig Brown’s men in Dark Blue ran the South Americans close, before losing 2-1, thanks to an unfortunate own goal by Tom Boyd.
I will be one of the many stay at home supporters when the Scots and Brazilians go head to head again in Miami, but that won’t be a problem.
That’s because my new career since retiring from journalism, as one of the VisitAberdeenshire volunteers welcoming cruise ships and tourists from all around the world to the city, has taught me there is more than just watching Scotland’s games live on the telly for football fans to enjoy in the North-east.
The area has a proud history when it comes to our national sport.
Denis Law legacy
The Granite City is the birthplace of Denis Law, the only Scotsman to win the coveted Ballon d'Or, awarded every year to Europe’s best player.
Legendary striker Denis starred for Manchester United, Torino, Huddersfield Town and Manchester City and also played for Scotland at the 1974 World Cup finals.
We are proud of our most famous footballing son and there is a statue of Denis, depicting his iconic goal celebration, in the city’s Marischal Square.
Also recommended is the Denis Law Legacy trail.
The route is a self-guided walk and is about a 20-minutes by foot (or a 10-minute cycle) from Aberdeen city centre.
The starting point is Printfield Terrace (just off Printfield Walk), easily visible by the towering and striking murals of Denis on the outer walls of Clifton Court, painted by artist Jerome Davenport, marking the area where he grew up before becoming one of the most famous footballers in the world.
I was fortunate to interview Denis many times over the years, and he always said pulling on a Scotland shirt at a World Cup finals was the highlight of his career.
He would have been thrilled locals and visitors to the city can be pictured beside Davenport’s stunning art work of Denis celebrating one of the 30 goals he scored for his country.
Pittodrie Stadium
I would also recommend paying a visit to Pittodrie Stadium, the home of Aberdeen Football Club and a focal point for fans since its opened way back in 1899.
Nicknamed the Dons, they are the only Scottish club to have won two European trophies, achieved in 1983 under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, regarded as the greatest football boss in the history of British football.
As well as volunteering for VisitAberdeenshire, I’m also one of those taking visitors on guided tours of the stadium.
They begin beside the statue of Sir Alex, which was unveiled in 2022 to celebrate his achievements, and include visits to the home dressing room, pitch side and the boardroom
Visitors can also take pictures with the two European trophies - the Cup Winners’ Cup and Super Cup - claimed during the club’s greatest ever season.
During their tours, visitors also learn about Pittodrie’s connection with this year’s World Cup extravaganza in North America.
Every host stadium at the 2026 finals includes pitch side dugouts, where the managers and back up players of the competing nations sit while the matches are being played.
The majority of the fans at the finals will be unaware the very first dugouts in world football were installed at Pittodrie in the 1930s, the brainchild of former Aberdeen player and coach Donald Coleman.
Where to watch games in Aberdeen
Watching World Cup games live will, of course, also be a must for the stay-at-home Tartan Army and tourists alike.
There’s a host of ‘proper football pubs’ to cater for their needs in Aberdeen and around the North-east.
Trust me, I know because I’ve spent many a great night in most of them watching Scotland’s big games.
The recently refurbished Pittodrie Bar, situated on King Street, close to the stadium, shows games on big screens and has a long standing tradition for catering for football fans.
The Foundry, at the top end of Holburn Street, McNasty’s, in Summer Street, The Stag in Crown Street and the city’s oldest pub, Ma Cameron’s - established in 1746 and situated in Little Belmont Street - are also known as ideal places to enjoy a beer while watching big games.
Those are but a handful of the fine establishments that will be ensuring fans don’t miss a minute of the record 104 games being played at the finals.
Get out there and have a look for yourself.
Image: Charlie at in France at the 1998 world cup finals, Scotland vs. Brazil
I guarantee what Aberdeen has to offer will help you enjoy the World Cup almost as much as if you were actually there.
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