Who Scotland can face in World Cup qualifiers & when the draw will be made

Scotland will be in a four-team group vying for 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.

Here are all of the details you need to know…

When is the draw for the World Cup qualifiers?

The draw for European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, December 13.

The ceremony will be held in Zurich with teams drawn into 12 groups of four or five teams.

The draw will begin at around 11am.

Who can Scotland face in the World Cup qualifiers? 

Scotland will be in a four-team group in 2026 World Cup qualifying meaning they will not face any of the Pot 5 nations.

Scotland can face any of the national teams in Pot 4 but know there are a number of Pot 2 teams that we cannot face.

Steve Clarke’s side can draw any of the teams in Pot 1 – including England.

Scotland’s potential opponent are listed below – one from each pot one, two and four. Nations ineligible to be drawn against Scotland are scored out.

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 3: SCOTLAND, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Finland, Georgia, North Macedonia, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel.

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

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

Read more: 

How do the World Cup qualifiers work? 

UEFA will send 16 countries to the 2026 World Cup. 

The 12 group winners will automatically secure spots for the tournament which will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Four more spots at the World Cup will be decided by play-off between the 12 runners-up across the group stage and the four best Nations League group winners that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group.

When will the World Cup qualifiers be played? 

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

The qualification matches will all be played by November 2025.