Scotland urges US to ‘make haggis legal again’ ahead of World Cup
Scotland's national dish has been illegal in the US since the 70s. Now, the tartan rebellion has begun, with one of Scotland's leading butchers leading the charge. After all, how can Scotland be expected to compete (and win) if haggis isn't on the menu?
Published on 22/05/2026 - 13:49 GMT+2
One of Scotland’s leading butchers has launched a campaign for the US to legalise haggis ahead of the World Cup.
Perthshire-based Simon Howie Butchers is behind the petition to “make haggis legal again”. Or: ‘MHLA’, for American readers who crave a simpler four-letter acronym that can fit on a cap.
First things first... For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure, haggis is a savoury Scottish institution containing sheep’s pluck (heart, liver, lungs), minced with onions, oatmeal, spices, and traditionally encased and served in the animal’s stomach.
Yes, it sounds like a lot for any colon to handle. As the 2001 Larousse Gastronomique states, “its description is not immediately appealing.”
However, and trust us on this one: it’s truly delicious.
Then why is it illegal in the US – especially when the radioactive drink (read: neon-coloured diabetes in a bottle) Mountain Dew is considered fine and dandy?
Well, the ban has been in affect since 1979, due to federal food regulations relating to the consumption of offal – specifically sheep lung, which constitutes up to 15 per cent of the traditional haggis recipe. This has meant that Scottish producers have not been able to export haggis to the US since it is still banned under the US Department of Agriculture regulations.
But that could be about to change, especially since Scotland is heading to the World Cup this summer for the first time since 1998, after six unsuccessful qualifying campaigns.
Simon Howie Butchers' campaign will be fronted by Scottish broadcaster and journalist Gordon Smart, and football fans travelling to the US are being supplied with flags emblazoned with "no haggis, no party".
A new post on Instagram by Simon Howie Butcher states: “For the first time in a generation, the Tartan Army are heading to the world stage. But we’ve got a problem: a big one... Our national dish, haggis, banned in the US right when it matters the most.”
“This isn’t just tradition being ignored – it's regulation gone mad. But Simon Howie are offering the land of opportunity a real opportunity. They’re leading the charge to make haggis legal again.”
In a further statement, Simon Howie said: “With such warmth and long-standing affinity between Americans and Scots, we’re appealing to the USA to embrace this delicious delicacy and ‘make haggis legal again’.”
So, whether you’re mad about the exorbitant prices of World Cup tickets which makes the whole tournament look like an elitist and grotesque shambles... Whether you think that FIFA’s supposed political neutrality has been completely demolished by president Gianni Infantino and his sycophancy towards FIFA's inaugural Peace Price winner Donald Trump... Whether you side with the Iranian FA who stated that it “cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope” and remained alarmed about the fact that more than 120 organisations have collectively issued a “travel advisory” driven by what they call “the Trump administration’s violent and abusive immigration crackdown”... This is yet another thing to get worked up about.
A national dish has been banned for too long, and Americans are being deprived of a tasty export. More than that, it’s time to celebrate Scotland’s return to the World Cup with respect for their traditions...
Or, to appeal to our American cousins once more by quoting Scottish-American comedian Craig Ferguson, haggis is just a hotdog with a bad publicist.
There. Doesn't sound too bad now, does it?
Time will tell if Americans have the stomach for it.
The World Cup kicks off 11 June and lasts until 19 July. The tournament will be hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
