World Cup '26

Nation dossier · Group C · In contention

Scotland

Scotland

Group CUEFA

Latest Scotland 03 Brazil · Group C

Title probability

0.0%

as of 2026-06-25

Overview

Scotland arrive at a first World Cup since 1998 carrying decades of pent-up longing and a genuinely competitive squad. Steve Clarke's side built their reputation on organisation, set-piece menace and a fierce collective spirit that turns Hampden into a cauldron.

A golden generation of Robertson, McTominay, McGinn and McGregor reaches its peak just as the talent pool deepens. After back-to-back Euros, the Tartan Army finally have a global stage — and the ambition is no longer merely to show up.

Capital

Edinburgh

Population

5,500,000

Confederation

UEFA

FIFA code

SCO

World
Region

From Wikipedia

Scotland fields one of the 48 national teams contesting the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Source: Wikipedia →

Squad

Goalkeepers3
  • 1

    Angus Gunn

    Norwich City · Commanding first-choice keeper

    17caps
  • 12

    Craig Gordon

    Heart of Midlothian · Veteran shot-stopper and leader

    78caps
  • 23

    Liam Kelly

    Rangers · Reliable domestic third choice

    3caps
Defenders8
  • 2

    Ryan Porteous

    Watford · Aggressive no-nonsense stopper

    18caps
  • 3

    Andrew Robertson

    Liverpool · Captain and overlapping force

    80caps
  • 4

    Jack Hendry

    Al-Ettifaq · Ball-playing central defender

    34caps
  • 5

    Grant Hanley

    Birmingham City · Aerial defensive rock

    53caps
  • 6

    Kieran Tierney

    Celtic · Versatile left-sided defender

    50caps
  • 15

    Scott McKenna

    Las Palmas · Composed left-footed centre-back

    33caps
  • 16

    Nathan Patterson

    Everton · Pacey attacking right-back

    22caps
  • 18

    Anthony Ralston

    Celtic · Energetic right-back option

    13caps
Midfielders7
  • 7

    John McGinn

    Aston Villa · Driving energetic midfielder

    75caps
  • 8

    Scott McTominay

    Napoli · Box-to-box goal threat

    59caps
  • 10

    Callum McGregor

    Celtic · Metronome midfield orchestrator

    68caps
  • 11

    Ryan Christie

    AFC Bournemouth · Creative tireless runner

    50caps
  • 13

    Lewis Ferguson

    Bologna · Dynamic emerging midfielder

    15caps
  • 14

    Billy Gilmour

    Napoli · Tidy deep-lying playmaker

    36caps
  • 17

    Stuart Armstrong

    Sheffield Wednesday · Versatile midfield runner

    48caps
Forwards5
  • 9

    Che Adams

    Torino · Hard-running target forward

    33caps
  • 19

    Ben Doak

    Liverpool · Electric young wing threat

    7caps
  • 20

    Lyndon Dykes

    Birmingham City · Physical aerial focal point

    42caps
  • 21

    George Hirst

    Ipswich Town · Towering penalty-box poacher

    3caps
  • 22

    Lawrence Shankland

    Heart of Midlothian · Sharp natural goalscorer

    12caps

Model

as of 2026-06-25
Champion0.0%
Reach final0.0%
Semi-final0.2%
Quarter-final1.1%
Round of 165.9%
Advance from group35.9%

Exp. points

3.00

Proj. finish

34.0

Seed Elo

1700

Title-probability trajectory

Champion chance across the last 14 snapshots

Matches

History

  1. 2022

    Did not qualify / Group stage

Culture

Football culture

Scotland contested the world's first international match in 1872 against England, and the rivalry remains football's oldest fixture. The game is fiercely tribal at club level, dominated by the Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers, yet the national team unites the country like nothing else.

Did you know

  • Scotland and England played the first ever international football match in 1872.
  • The Tartan Army won FIFA fair-play awards for their joyous travelling support.
  • Hampden Park once held a world-record crowd of nearly 150,000.
  • Archie Gemmill's 1978 goal against the Netherlands is among the World Cup's greatest.
  • Scotland gave the world the short-passing 'combination' style of play.