Scotland’s World Cup dreams could become a reality at Hampden Park next week.
The last time the Tartan Army took part in football’s biggest tournament was in 1998. Steve Clarke has made the Tartan Army believe their long absence will soon be over.
There is only one game left in Group C, and there is still a chance of automatic qualification.
Clarke’s side beat Belarus twice, beat Greece at Hampden, lost at Piraeus and held Denmark to a goalless draw away.
They need to beat Denmark on November 18 to advance through their World Cup qualifying group for the first time since 1982.
Denmark have a one-point lead following a 2-2 draw with Belarus and head into the final game with Scotland’s hopes of securing automatic qualification alive.
Although a play-off spot has already been secured, automatic qualification is Scotland’s biggest prize.
In order to finish Group C in first place, they need to beat Denmark, but considering they will face each other in the final match, goal difference is out of the question.
Scotland defeated Greece at Hampden Park last month.
How do the playoffs work?
Scotland last played in the World Cup in 1998.
The 12 second-place teams in their group and the top four teams that did not finish in first or second place in the European qualifying group stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League will participate in the play-offs.
The 16 teams participating in the playoffs will be divided into four playoff paths of four teams each. The play-off matches will be played as a single-leg semi-final, followed by a single-leg final within the same international window from March 26 to 31 next year.
How many European teams will qualify?
A total of 16 UEFA member nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners will qualify directly to the World Cup. The remaining four spots will be determined by a play-off between the 12 second-place players in the group.
All Scottish players:
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Craig Gordon (Hearts), Liam Kelly (Rangers).
Defenders: Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Etifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dynamo Zagreb), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souter (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Conor Barron (Rangers), Andy Irving (West Ham).
Forwards: Che Adams (Turin), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham), George Hurst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts).
From “head scratchers” to the brink of history
Scotland’s Che Adams scores the first goal against Belarus
Scotland drew with top-seeded Denmark in two qualifying matches to pick up four points, and finished September tied at the top of the table with a 2-0 win over Belarus.
Next up was a double header at Hampden Park, where they took all six points.
Clark’s team came from behind to beat Greece 3-1, then beat Belarus 2-1 to secure a place in the play-offs.
The win against Belarus marked Clark’s record-breaking 72nd game in charge as a national team manager, but after the game he described the performance as “head-scratching”, adding: “I was probably as disappointed as I was in all 72 games.”
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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke admits his side’s performance in their unconvincing World Cup qualifying win against Belarus was “head-scratching”.
Coach Clarke did promise a “different animal”, but they squandered their chance to move into the lead after falling behind against Greece, who had already been eliminated. We need to improve to beat Denmark.
They have secured a spot in the playoffs, but just one more win will seal their return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Scotland and Clark are on the brink of making history.
2026 World Cup European Qualification Schedule
Group stage final match dates: November 13-18, 2025 Playoff match dates: March 26-31, 2026 Final tournament dates: June 11-July 19, 2026
When and where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The tournament will be held in 16 cities across three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the first time that the World Cup will be held in three countries.
The last time the tournament was held in North America was in 1994, when Brazil defeated Italy in a penalty shootout to win the tournament.
The expanded World Cup will feature 48 teams, 16 more than the 2022 edition in Qatar, and will be held across three host countries for the first time.
2026 World Cup Schedule
Group Stage: June 11th-27th
Round of 32: June 28th to July 3rd
Round 16: July 4-7
Quarterfinals: July 9th-11th
Semi-finals: July 14th-15th
3rd place match (“Bronze Final”): July 18th
Last day: July 19th
