Scotland face Curaçao in a World Cup warm-up match at Hampden Park on Saturday, with kick-off at 1pm BST. The match is part of Scotland's preparations for the 2026 World Cup, their first appearance in 28 years. Manager Steve Clarke has rested key players including Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Che Adams, Lewis Ferguson, Kieran Tierney, and Ross Stewart, giving opportunities to fringe players.
Team News
Scotland line up with Gordon in goal; a back four of Hickey, Souttar, McKenna, and Robertson; a midfield of Doak, Gilmour, McLean, and Christie; and forwards Shankland and Hirst. Curaçao, coached by former Rangers boss Dick Advocaat, field a strong side including Leandro and Juninho Bacuna, Armando Obispo, Jurgen Locadia, and Tahith Chong.
Pre-Match Comments
Clarke told BBC Scotland: "First time in 28 years … a great story for Scotland but also a great story for Curaçao, so what a nice game to have … five of the more regular members of the squad won’t be here today … Ross Stewart felt something in his knee so there’s no point risking him … the ones on the pitch have plenty about them, so hopefully a good performance and a good result."
Advocaat, who had a successful spell at Rangers, said: "My family and myself had the best time in Scotland … the people are very kind … [today’s line-up] is the strongest side I can bring … it is important to see the way we play … we have a quite difficult group … the expectations are not that high … but without expectation you can still do something."
Match Context
Curaçao have never beaten a European team, while Scotland have not won any of their last six matches against Concacaf nations, a streak dating back to 2004. Despite the rankings gap (Scotland 43rd, Curaçao 82nd), the match is seen as competitive due to Advocaat's experience and Curaçao's Dutch-influenced style.
The atmosphere at Hampden is lively, with Curaçao fans showing strong support. The match is billed as "The Big Send-Off" by the Scottish FA, evoking memories of Scotland's 1978 World Cup campaign. Updates will continue throughout the match.
