Scotland discover 2026 World Cup qualifying opponents

Scotland was expected to be in a four-team group vying for the top spot to secure automatic qualification to the major finals which will be held across the USA, Canada and Mexico in a couple of years’ time.

And that’s exactly what played out this morning as FIFA conducted the draw.

Scotland will face the loser of the Nations League quarter-final tie between Portugal and Denmark, Greece and Belarus in their bid to qualify for the major tournament in 2026.

A decent draw for Steve Clarke and his players. Having played Portugal in the most recent Nations League group, Scotland could potentially face off against Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. AGAIN were they to lose to the Danes, meanwhile, the Scots will definitely play Greece FOUR times in 2025 having already drawn them in the Nations League promotion/relegation play-off.

Nations drawn in groups of five will begin their qualification campaigns in March 2025 with four-team groups beginning in September 2025.

All qualification matches will be played by November 2025.

Here is the full list of teams Scotland could’ve faced…

Pot 1: France, Spain, England, Belgium, Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria.

Pot 2: Ukraine, Turkiye, Hungary, Serbia, Greece, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway, Romania, Poland, Wales, Sweden

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Armenia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Lithuania

Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.