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Scotland World Cup qualifying fixtures revealed as Steve Clarke's side handed double road trip to kick off 2026 campaign

Steve Clarke's men are hoping to end their long wait to reach the World Cup finals in North America in two years time.

Sport
Anthony Evans
20:38, 13 Dec 2024
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke at full time during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A1 match between Poland and Scotland
Steve Clarke will be aiming to take Scotland to a World Cup for the first time in almost 30 years.(Image: SNS Group)

Scotland will kick off their campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals against the winner of the Nations League quarter final clash between Portugal and Denmark.

At the draw to discover their opponents in Zurich on Friday, Steve Clarke's men learned that they would be facing Greece, Belarus and the team that emerges from Portugal's two-legged showdown with Denmark. And the running order for the European section of qualifying for the finals in North America have now been confirmed, with the Scots facing either Denmark or Portugal away from home on matchday one on Friday, September 5, 2025.

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Clarke's team will be on the road again three days later to face Belarus, although the game will have to be played at a neutral venue after the latter were banned from playing games in their home country by UEFA. Scotland then have a double header at Hampden against Greece on Thursday October 9 and then Belarus on the following Sunday before their penultimate Group C fixture against the Greeks in Athens on Saturday, November 15.

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Tartan Army fans will then hope for a successful end to the campaign when the team host Denmark or Portugal in a blockbuster fixture at the national stadium three days later on Tuesday, November 18. The Scots have infamously not reached the finals of a World Cup since France in 1998 but know that a second place finish in Group C will earn them a play-off spot and get them one step closer to ending that miserable run.

Scotland's World Cup 2026 qualifying fixtures in full:

September 5 - Portugal/Denmark v Scotland

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September 8 - Belarus v Scotland

October 9 - Scotland v Greece

October 12 - Scotland v Belarus

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November 15 - Greece v Scotland

November 18 - Scotland v Portugal/Denmark

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