Robert Kraft tells NFL he’d like Patriots to play in Scotland, citing World Cup visit that sparked Boston-Glasgow ties

Robert Kraft has informed the NFL that he would like the New England Patriots to play in Scotland, framing the request as an extension of a football moment that began with Scotland’s World Cup visit to Boston. In a report from CBS Sports on June 23, Kraft pointed to the energy created by Scottish supporters in Massachusetts and argued that the league should consider the country as a venue for future games.

CBS Sports also connected the idea to the cultural momentum around the Boston-Glasgow link. Boston and Glasgow are described as officially sister cities, and the CBS report says the World Cup experience made the relationship feel unusually visible, with Scottish fans and Boston-area supporters repeatedly trading enthusiasm in public spaces around the city.

The report further notes that while the NFL has staged many regular-season and preseason games internationally, no team has played in Scotland before. That distinction, as characterized by CBS, sets the request apart from the league’s more familiar overseas stops, and it implies that any effort to bring an NFL game to Scotland would be a notable first for the league’s international footprint.

Kraft’s comments, as relayed by CBS, place the discussion in the broader context of how NFL teams and the league evaluate global markets. International games are typically sold as more than schedule experiments, with the league seeking sustained interest across fandom, media coverage, and local partnerships. Kraft’s request reads as a push to capitalize on a moment that already appears to have generated a cross-Atlantic atmosphere.

The CBS report also includes colorful descriptions of the in-city scenes during the World Cup, including the sight of Scottish fans in traditional attire and the way supporters described the experience in Boston. While those details are not the same as a formal league schedule change, they help explain why Kraft would see value in taking the sport’s international brand beyond major established host countries.

Importantly, CBS framed Kraft’s message as an effort to influence future consideration rather than an announcement that a Patriots game in Scotland is already scheduled. Without an official NFL or team release confirming dates, opponent, or a venue, the request should be understood as advocacy inside the league process, not a finalized international arrangement.

If Kraft’s pitch gains traction, it would create a clear new dimension for the Patriots’ offseason narrative because home-region identity would be tested against an overseas stage. For the NFL, a Scotland opener could also reshape how future international games are marketed, especially if the league is trying to expand its reach into cities and supporters that have already demonstrated a readiness to travel and show up.

What to watch next is whether the NFL responds publicly to Kraft’s request and whether any official next steps emerge, such as preliminary discussions with Scottish organizers, venue selection, or timetable planning for an eventual game. Even if nothing happens immediately, the report suggests Kraft sees a business and cultural rationale that goes beyond the league’s current international map.