Scotland's long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup finals will feature a blockbuster showdown with five-time champions Brazil after the tournament draw was conducted in Washington DC. Steve Clarke's side discovered their fate for the 2026 competition, landing in Group C alongside Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti.
A Nostalgic and Daunting Group Stage
The draw is sure to stir powerful memories for the Tartan Army, as it closely mirrors the group that ended Scotland's campaign at the 1998 World Cup in France. On that occasion, a brave 2-1 defeat to Brazil and a loss to Morocco saw the Scots eliminated. Nearly three decades later, they have a chance for redemption on the global stage.
Scotland will open their campaign against Haiti on June 13th, with the match set to be played in either Boston or New York. This presents a crucial opportunity to start with a victory against a side currently ranked 84th in the world. Under the revised format for the expanded tournament, a win could be pivotal in securing a historic place in the knockout rounds.
The second group fixture will be against Morocco, scheduled for either Boston or Philadelphia. The group stage will then conclude with the glamour tie against Brazil, which will be hosted in either Miami or Atlanta. The final venues will be confirmed following a separate draw.
"We Are Not There to Make Up the Numbers"
Scotland manager Steve Clarke, who attended the ceremony in the American capital, expressed his delight at avoiding European opponents and embracing the global nature of the draw. "The draw is fantastic," Clarke stated. "One of the big things in my head was no European teams, so we're playing three top sides from three different continents. That is what the World Cup is all about."
He acknowledged the historical quirk, referencing the 1998 parallels, but insisted his team would approach the challenge with belief. "Brazil bring World Cup magic, but we are going to bring a little bit of magic as well hopefully," he added, emphasising that Scotland would show no fear against the South American giants.
His confidence was echoed by midfielder Ryan Christie, who admitted he had secretly hoped for a clash with Brazil. "It's exciting. A tough group but one we're looking forward to," Christie said. "We have to go over there wanting to try and prove a point. We're not just there to make up the numbers. We're wanting to go and compete and get through the group phase."
The Road Ahead for the Tartan Army
While the focus will understandably be on the glamour fixture against Brazil, both Clarke and Christie were quick to highlight the threat posed by all their opponents. Clarke noted that Haiti had won their qualifying section comfortably and would be a difficult challenge, a sentiment Christie reinforced by stating that no team reaches a World Cup without being "decent."
The draw sets up a thrilling and emotionally charged path for Scotland's first World Cup appearance in a generation. With a mix of nostalgia, formidable opposition, and a genuine belief within the camp, Steve Clarke's squad now has a clear mission: to rewrite the history of 1998 and finally progress beyond a major tournament group stage.
