Scotland

WATCH: FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw

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Scotland will finally discover our FIFA World Cup group stage opponents on Friday evening (5 December 2025), marking another major milestone in what has already been a historic campaign. After 28 years away from the global stage, Steve Clarke’s side will be in the hat for the finals draw, taking place at 5pm (UK time) live from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

We enter the draw in Pot 3 following our superb qualification performance. Last month’s unforgettable 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden – with goals from Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean – secured top spot in Group C and sealed Scotland’s place at next year’s tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets under way on Thursday 11 June in Mexico City, culminating in the final on Sunday 19 July at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

How the Draw Works

Hosts Mexico, Canada and the USA will be allocated to Groups A1, B1 and D1 respectively before the remaining Pot 1 teams are drawn, with FIFA mapping out separate semi-final pathways to keep the four highest-ranked nations – Spain, Argentina, France and England – apart until the latter stages.

Teams from Pots 2, 3 and 4 will then be drawn in order. Scotland, positioned in Pot 3, will have our place in the group determined by a pre-set sequence of draw procedures. Confederation separation rules apply, ensuring no group contains more than one team from the same region, with the exception of UEFA, which can place up to two European sides in the same group.

Pot 4 still contains six unknowns, as several places will be decided through upcoming play-offs. The draw concludes once all Pot 4 teams are allocated.

Who Scotland Could Face

Pot 1 offers some blockbuster possibilities, with Brazil, Argentina, Spain, England, Germany and the Netherlands all potential opponents, alongside hosts Mexico, Canada and the USA.

Pot 2 features familiar recent adversaries such as Croatia, Austria and Switzerland, as well as strong global contenders including Japan, Senegal, Colombia and Uruguay.

In Pot 4, Scotland could meet nations we have never faced competitively, including Curaçao, Ghana and Haiti. Meanwhile, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland could all enter Pot 4 should they progress through the European play-offs.

The Draw Pots

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A/B/C/D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 & 2

How to Watch

The World Cup draw will be streamed live on the Scotland National Team YouTube channel and FIFA YouTube channel from 5pm (UK time), and will also be shown on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Where Will Scotland Play?

For the first time in World Cup history, match venues will not be revealed during the draw itself. Instead, FIFA will hold a second live broadcast on Saturday at 5pm (UK time) across their website and YouTube channel to confirm stadiums and kick-off times for all 104 fixtures.

Venue assignments will consider travel logistics, climate, and global broadcast windows to maximise accessibility for supporters. The final tournament schedule, including all play-off qualifiers, will be confirmed in March.

Host Cities

  • Western Region: Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles
  • Central Region: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City
  • Eastern Region: Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York New Jersey

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