Scotland will find out their opponents as the national side aim to make it to a World Cup for the first time in almost 30 years
The summer of 2026 may seem a lifetime away, but Scotland will find out this week who they will face as they aim to make it Canada, Mexico and the US in 18 months’ time.
Tartan Army foot soldiers won’t need reminding that it’s been 26 years since the national team last made it to a World Cup, with seven members of Steve Clarke‘s most recent squad not even born when John Collins levelled against Brazil in the opening game of France 1998. However after a positive end to their Nations League campaign, with wins against Poland and Croatia and a Hampden draw with Portugal that left Cristiano Ronaldo fuming, hope has been restored that the nation’s exile from the game’s biggest stage could finally end in 2026.
As third seeds, securing the nation’s place on the plane across the Atlantic will remain a tough task – and that was potentially made even tougher when FIFA altered the rules on sides being in five team groups, meaning that Steve Clarke’s men could face a bumper fixture list in the new year. Record Sport has all the details you need ahead as the nation gets set to dream once again.
When is the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers?
The draw for the European section of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers takes place on Friday December 13 from 11am (UK time). It’s taking place in Swiss city Zurich.
Who can Scotland face?
Scotland will face a team from pot one, pot two and pot four. And potentially one from pot five.
Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.
Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkiye, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway.
Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel.
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.
How can I watch the draw?
The draw will be available to watch live on FIFA’s website and FIFA+. You’ll also be able to follow it LIVE on www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football.
When will the games take place?
The qualifiers will take place between March and November 2025 and dates will be confirmed officially after the draw, with play-offs to be held on Thursday 26 and Tuesday 31 March 2026.
How do the qualifiers work?
The format has an added complication of involving the Nations League – with 16 UEFA members qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in total. The 12 group winners qualify directly for the tournament, with the four remaining spots determined by play-offs involving the group runners-up. The 12 group runners-up will participate in the play-offs, along with the four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish their European qualifiers group stage in first or second place.
The 16 teams who enter the play-offs will be drawn into four play-off paths, with four teams in each. Play-off matches will be played in single-leg semi-finals followed by single-leg finals all within the same international window in March 2026.
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The World Cup gets underway on Thursday, June 11 with the opening two games being played in Mexico. From there fans can enjoy a feast of football for more than a month, until the final in New York on July 19 2026.
