Scotland Fans Set Noise Record at Foxborough

Scotland's World Cup fans made some noise—and possibly a bit of history—outside Boston. A sound meter at Gillette Stadium hit 125 decibels during the singalong for the "Flower of Scotland" anthem before the team's 1–0 win over Haiti, reports the Times of London. If verified, it would be the loudest noise ever recorded at a World Cup match. The mark also smashes the stadium's previous record (at an NFL game) by nearly 20 decibels and tops the 116-decibel mark Brazil fans hit at a past tournament, per the Scottish Daily Express. It is, however, well short of the loudest crowd noise on record, 142.2 decibels for a 2014 Kansas City Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium.

Audiology experts are less celebratory. They liken 125 decibels to standing next to a rock-concert speaker or siren, with "safe" exposure measured in seconds, not minutes. That kind of sound can trigger immediate ringing, muffled hearing, or permanent damage, and they urge supporters to use earplugs or step away from the stands periodically if things get that rowdy.