Scotland’s 2026 World Cup qualifying opponents

Steve Clarke’s Scotland will face Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final tie between Portugal and Denmark in March.

Here’s how the Scots have fared in previous meetings against those four nations.

Portugal

Scotland have faced Portugal 17 times over the years, winning four, drawing four and losing nine.

Clarke’s side played Portugal home and away in the recent Nations League. Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal earned the Portuguese a 2-1 win in Lisbon in September, before a battling performance at Hampden helped Scotland play out a goalless draw in October.

Roberto Martínez’s side are currently sixth in the Fifa rankings, and their best World Cup finish was in 1966, where they beat the Soviet Union in a third-place play-off.

Denmark

Scotland have won 11 of their 18 matches against Denmark, with there yet to be a draw.

The nations most recently played each other during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Denmark won 2-0 in Copenhagen, before goals from John Souttar and Che Adams earned Scotland a 2-0 win at Hampden.

The Danes are 21st in the Fifa rankings, and their best World Cup finish was in 1998, when they reached the quarter-finals.

Greece

Scotland have only ever played Greece twice, but will meet them four times next year.

The Scots won 1-0 and lost 1-0 against Greece during Euro 96 qualifying, as Craig Brown’s side reached the finals in England.

Clarke’s side face Greece home and away in their two-legged Nations League play-off next March, as they attempt to retain their top-level status in the competition.

Greece are 39th in Fifa’s rankings, and their best World Cup finish was a last-16 spot in 2014.

Belarus

Scotland have played Belarus on four previous occasions.

The Scots won home and away during the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, and also played the Belarussians in 2006 World Cup qualifying, when a goalless draw in Belarus was followed by a 1-0 win for the visitors at Hampden Park.

Belarus have never qualified for a World Cup finals and are ranked 98th in the Fifa rankings.