Scotland World Cup 2026 Squad: Final 26-Player List
Scotland named their 26-man Scotland World Cup 2026 Squad on May 19, 2026, ending a 28-year absence from football’s biggest stage. Steve Clarke confirmed the selection at Hampden Park, with captain Andy Robertson leading the group to North America. Scotland face Group C opponents Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti, two of whom they also encountered in France 1998.
Clarke has built this squad around Premier League leadership and Serie A momentum. Robertson brings 92 caps of experience from Liverpool. Scott McTominay has become one of Italy’s best box-to-box midfielders since joining Napoli from Manchester United in 2024.
Scotland’s goal is simple and has never been achieved: become the first Scottish side to reach the knockout stage of a World Cup.
Scotland Quick Facts:
- Country: Scotland
- Confederation: UEFA
- Nickname: Tartan Army
- Head Coach: Steve Clarke
- Captain: Andy Robertson
- Group: Group C
- Group Opponents: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti
- First Match: June 13, 2026 vs Haiti, Boston Stadium, 9:00 PM ET
- Last Group Match: June 24, 2026 vs Brazil, Miami Stadium, 6:00 PM ET
- FIFA Ranking: 43rd (as of April 1, 2026)
- World Cup Appearance: 9th
- Kit Manufacturer: Adidas
Scotland Squad List for World Cup 2026
Goalkeepers
- Craig Gordon, 43, Hearts (Scotland)
- Angus Gunn, 32, Nottingham Forest (England)
- Liam Kelly, 29, Rangers (Scotland)
Defenders
- Grant Hanley, 34, Hibernian (Scotland)
- Jack Hendry, 31, Al-Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia)
- Aaron Hickey, 23, Brentford (England)
- Dom Hyam, 30, Wrexham (England)
- Scott McKenna, 29, Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
- Nathan Patterson, 24, Everton (England)
- Anthony Ralston, 27, Celtic (Scotland)
- Andy Robertson (C), 32, Liverpool (England)
- John Souttar, 29, Rangers (Scotland)
- Kieran Tierney, 29, Celtic (Scotland)
Midfielders
- Ryan Christie, 31, Bournemouth (England)
- Findlay Curtis, 19, Kilmarnock (Scotland, on loan from Rangers)
- Lewis Ferguson, 26, Bologna (Italy)
- Ben Gannon-Doak, 20, Bournemouth (England)
- Billy Gilmour, 25, Napoli (Italy)
- John McGinn, 31, Aston Villa (England)
- Kenny McLean, 34, Norwich City (England)
- Scott McTominay, 29, Napoli (Italy)
Forwards
- Che Adams, 29, Torino (Italy)
- Lyndon Dykes, 30, Charlton Athletic (England)
- George Hirst, 27, Ipswich Town (England)
- Lawrence Shankland, 30, Hearts (Scotland)
- Ross Stewart, 29, Southampton (England)
Craig Gordon at 43 and Findlay Curtis at 20 mark the squad’s extremes. Fifteen of the 26 players are based in English football, with four in the Scottish Premiership. McTominay, Gilmour, Che Adams, and Lewis Ferguson all play in Serie A, Scotland’s biggest Italian club contingent at any major tournament. Adams was named despite a thigh injury that makes his early availability uncertain.
Scotland World Cup 2026 Fixtures
Scotland play all three group stage matches in the United States. Local kick-off times are listed in both Eastern Time (ET) for North American host venues and British Summer Time (BST) for fans watching in Scotland.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) | Time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 13, 2026 | Haiti vs Scotland | Boston Stadium, Foxborough | 9:00 PM | 2:00 AM (Jun 14) |
| June 19, 2026 | Scotland vs Morocco | Boston Stadium, Foxborough | 6:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| June 24, 2026 | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens | 6:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
The top two teams from Group C advance automatically to the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams across all groups also qualify. Scotland need a strong result against Haiti to stay in contention and give themselves a realistic platform heading into the Morocco match.
Manager: Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke is 62, born in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, on August 29, 1963. He has managed Scotland since May 2019 and led the national team to three consecutive major tournaments, more than any other manager in the country’s history.
As a player, Clarke spent a decade at Chelsea from 1987 to 1998 before becoming Jose Mourinho’s assistant at Stamford Bridge, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups, and an FA Cup.
Clarke managed West Bromwich Albion, Reading, and Kilmarnock before his Scotland appointment. Scotland’s World Cup qualification after a 28-year wait is the defining achievement of his tenure.
He deploys a compact 3-5-2, using Robertson and his right-back as wing-backs while McTominay presses high and provides the midfield goal threat. Scotland don’t concede cheaply and they’re difficult to break down in tight games.
Star Player: Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay is 29, plays for Napoli in Serie A, and is Scotland’s most influential footballer heading into the 2026 World Cup. His move from Manchester United to Napoli in the summer of 2024 changed his career entirely.
Antonio Conte identified his best position as a box-crashing midfielder operating just behind the striker, and the results since then have been exceptional both for club and country.
Since January 2023, McTominay has scored 13 goals and added two assists for Scotland, a return that exceeds any other Scottish player in the same period by at least six. In the qualifying campaign, he scored twice, including an overhead kick in the third minute of the Denmark match that opened the floodgates in the 4-2 win that sent Scotland to the World Cup. Ben Gannon-Doak provided the assist.
Clarke’s system isn’t built for possession football. McTominay’s late runs into the box and his delivery from midfield are the primary routes to a Scottish goal. The opening fixture against Haiti on June 13 is the platform. McTominay scoring early in this tournament would define the group stage narrative for the Tartan Army.
Key Players to Watch
Ben Gannon-Doak
Ben Gannon-Doak is 20, plays as a right winger for Bournemouth in the Premier League, and is one of the most exciting young players in Scottish football. He signed for Bournemouth for £20 million in August 2025. His composure in senior international football, shown repeatedly across the qualifying campaign, is what earned him a place in Clarke’s squad for this tournament.
Gannon-Doak scored his first senior Scotland goal against Greece in November 2025 and three days later produced the assist for McTominay’s bicycle kick against Denmark that sealed qualification. Clarke trusts him to start. For a 20-year-old making his World Cup debut, the expectation alone is pressure. Gannon-Doak carries it well.
John McGinn
John McGinn is 31, plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League, and brings 85 caps and 20 international goals into this tournament. He is Scotland’s most experienced outfield player and has been to two European Championships. His pressing energy and late runs from central midfield are central to how Clarke’s system functions at its best.
The captain’s armband belongs to Robertson but McGinn remains the voice and driving force in midfield. His partnership with McTominay works because they cover opposite ends of the same function: one scores, one presses, and both do a bit of everything in between. At a World Cup, that combination is Scotland’s biggest midfield asset.
Lawrence Shankland
Lawrence Shankland is 30, plays for Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, and is Scotland’s most reliable centre forward at this tournament. He was the standout attacking contributor across the qualifying campaign, finishing as the top scorer in Scotland’s group. His movement in the box and clinical finishing made him Clarke’s go-to option across those six matches.
Against teams that defend deep and compact, Shankland’s penalty-box instincts make him Scotland’s clearest route to goal. The Haiti fixture on June 13 suits his profile better than any other game in the group. If Scotland are to cause a result in this group stage, Shankland finding the net early in the tournament is likely part of how it happens.
Qualification Path & World Cup History
Scotland won UEFA Qualifying Group C, facing Greece, Belarus, and Denmark. A goalless draw in Copenhagen opened the campaign. Four of the next five games produced wins, with a 3-2 defeat in Athens the only blemish.
At Hampden Park on November 18, 2025, Ben Gannon-Doak set up McTominay’s overhead kick in the third minute against Denmark. Scotland won 4-2 and clinched top spot with 13 points.
Scotland’s World Cup history spans eight previous appearances. They featured in five consecutive World Cups from 1974 to 1990 but never advanced beyond the group stage. Three exits came on goal difference alone.
The 1978 campaign produced Archie Gemmill’s famous solo goal in a 3-2 win over the Netherlands. Scotland’s most recent tournament came in France 1998, where they faced Brazil and Morocco in Group A, losing both and drawing with Norway. Both opponents appear again in Group C this summer.
What to Expect & Our Prediction
Clarke’s 3-5-2 keeps Scotland compact and disciplined. Robertson and Nathan Patterson push forward from wing-back positions while McTominay and McGinn cover behind them. The system makes Scotland hard to break down and functional in transition. Their key strength is organisation. Their obvious weakness is a limited forward line that depends heavily on Shankland for goals.
The Haiti fixture is Scotland’s most important group match. Win it, and they go into the Morocco game with momentum and something to protect. A draw or worse against Haiti leaves Scotland needing a result from the two most difficult opponents in the group. The match order, starting with Haiti, gives Clarke the best possible scenario.
Scotland are expected to win the Haiti game and push Morocco hard. A second-place finish in Group C isn’t impossible but requires Morocco to drop points. Third place is the more realistic outcome, and advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams depends entirely on results across other groups. This prediction is the opinion of WCW Staff, not a guaranteed outcome.
Scotland World Cup 2026 Squad FAQs
Who is the oldest player in Scotland’s 2026 World Cup squad?
Craig Gordon is the oldest player at 43 years old. The Hearts goalkeeper was born on December 31, 1982, and is one of the oldest players at the entire 2026 tournament. He proved his fitness following a shoulder injury ahead of the squad announcement on May 19, 2026.
Who is the youngest player in Scotland’s squad?
Findlay Curtis is the youngest player at 19 years old. Born on June 9, 2006, the midfielder plays for Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on loan from Rangers. He scored five goals in 14 appearances for Kilmarnock this season and earned his first World Cup call-up on the strength of that run of form.
Who is Scotland’s most-capped player at this World Cup?
Andy Robertson holds 92 caps heading into this tournament, making him Scotland’s second most-capped player of all time. Only Kenny Dalglish, who earned 102 caps, sits above him on the all-time list. Robertson made his senior debut in 2014 and has since become the most decorated Scottish player of his generation.
What kit does Scotland wear at the 2026 World Cup?
Scotland’s 2026 World Cup kit is manufactured by Adidas. The home shirt is a dark navy design inspired by the Saltire flag, while the away kit features a bold Trace Scarlet colourway.
Has Scotland ever beaten Brazil at the World Cup?
Scotland has never beaten Brazil at a World Cup. The teams have met four times at the tournament: they drew 0-0 in 1974 and then Brazil won 4-1 in 1982, 1-0 in 1990, and 2-1 in the opening game of the 1998 tournament. Scotland have conceded seven goals and scored two across those four World Cup meetings.
The Scotland World Cup 2026 Squad carries 28 years of national anticipation into Group C. Clarke’s group is well-organised, experienced across the midfield, and led by Robertson’s 92 caps of calm under pressure. McTominay’s goals gave Scotland this moment. A knockout-stage appearance would be the greatest result in Scottish football history at a World Cup.
