World Cup spirit comes to Onset

Fans brought kilts, flags and the energy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Onset last week as Massachusetts hosts matches for the global soccer tournament.

Onset's Pier View Restaurant and Stephen's Lounge hosted soccer fans of the Scotland and Cape Verde teams, both based thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean from Wareham. 

A group of about 75 residents attended a Cape Verde World Cup watch party for the team's match against Uruguay on Sunday, June 21 at Stephen's Lounge. According to attendee Mary Fernandes, the lounge was standing room only for the match. 

According to Lynn Spinola, who organized the event with restaurant owner Steve Baptiste, people wore the red and blue colors of the Cape Verdean flag to show their support for the team. Spinola said she put up flags and decorations around the bar. 

Spinola said that one of the most notable moments from the watch party was when Cape Verde scored its first goal against Uruguay.

"It was just so exciting, especially for the first goal," Spinola said. "The place just went crazy."

Spinola said that everyone in the room reflected pride in being Cape Verdean and having the country's team play in the World Cup.

This year is Cape Verde's first time playing in the World Cup. Cape Verde tied against Spain on Monday, June 15 and tied again against Uruguay on Sunday. Both were widely considered stunning results for the team's first time in the tournament.

"Everyone knows who we are now," Spinola said.

Wareham is home to a large Cape Verdean population, Spinola said. Massachusetts is home to the most Cape Verdeans of any state in the United States. Wareham notably hosts the Onset Cape Verdean festival that draws thousands of visitors each year. 

While local fans came out to watch Cape Verde play, Onset also hosted visitors from across the pond. A group of soccer fans donning kilts and jerseys were spotted at Pier View Restaurant on the morning of Friday, June 19. 

Guy Hemond said that he and his wife were at Pier View on Friday morning and saw the group of four fans, so his wife got a picture with them. Earlier this week, the Pier View Restaurant posted a photo on Facebook of a group of Scotland fans at the restaurant for the World Cup. 

Hemond said that the Scotland fans were friendly with restaurant staff and gifted a Pier View waitress a Team Scotland shirt.

"I didn't expect to see any of them in Onset," Hemond said. 

The sighting came as thousands of Scotland's fans, known as Tartan Army, arrived in Massachusetts to watch their team play in the FIFA World Cup. The "invasion" of Scotland fans sparked goodwill between Boston and the country, with Boston mayor Michelle Wu announcing Boston and Glasgow, Scotland as "sister cities" yesterday. 

Scotland fans allegedly drank some Boston bars close to dry as World Cup celebrations ramped up in the city. Fans looking to do the same in Onset may be disappointed. Wareham's latest-closing bars are open until 1 a.m. and on Tuesday, June 16, the Select Board rejected an option to allow bars to stay open until 3 a.m. for the World Cup.

Spinola, who also works Pier View Restaurant, said the restaurant's staff enjoyed interacting with the Scottish visitors and that she enjoyed the energizing celebration for Cape Verde's World Cup team. 

"This is so exciting to me," she said.