Scottish football fans are set for a series of late nights after the 2026 World Cup group stage fixtures were confirmed, with all three of Scotland's matches scheduled for unsociable hours in the UK.
Gruelling Schedule for Tartan Army Supporters
The Tartan Army's opening match in Group C will see them take on Haiti at the Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 13. However, with a 9pm local start time, supporters back home will need to tune in at 2am GMT on the morning of Friday, June 14.
Subsequent fixtures offer little respite for sleep patterns. The crucial encounter with Morocco on June 19 kicks off at 11pm GMT, while the final group game against football giants Brazil on June 24 is also slated for an 11pm GMT start at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
Steve Clarke's Reaction to the Draw
National team manager Steve Clarke struck an optimistic tone when speaking to BBC Scotland after the draw was made. "The draw's fantastic," Clarke stated. "One of the big things in my head was no European teams. So we are playing three top sides from three different continents of the world and that's what the World Cup is all about."
He acknowledged the challenge posed by each opponent, noting Haiti's comfortable qualification and the special occasion of facing Brazil on the world stage. "The Brazilian fans are great, but the Tartan Army's pretty special as well. We're going to bring a little bit of magic as well, hopefully," he added.
Potential Routes to the Knockout Stages
Scotland's path beyond the group stage depends on their final position in Group C.
- If they win the group, they will face the runner-up from Group F, which contains the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and a play-off winner (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania).
- Finishing second would see them play the winner of Group F.
- Scotland could also progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams. In that scenario, they would face a group winner from either Group A, E, or I in the round of 32.
For the thousands of fans planning to travel, Scotland's first two matches will be in Boston, before the squad and support moves south to Miami for the showdown with Brazil.
