Scotland manager Steve Clarke has named his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, marking the nation's first appearance at a World Cup finals since Paris 1998. The announcement was made in Glasgow, with Clarke describing the magnitude of the tournament as having become increasingly clear since qualification was secured in November. Scotland have never made it past the group stages of a World Cup in their history.
Scotland have been drawn in Group C alongside Haiti, Morocco and Brazil, with their opening match against Haiti scheduled for June 14th. Two friendly warm-up matches will be played before the tournament begins. Clarke acknowledged that Brazil are expected to dominate the group but expressed belief that anything can happen in football, saying: "I've been in football a long time and I know that if you do things properly, you believe in what you're doing and you get the little bit of luck that sometimes you need."
Among the notable selections is 19-year-old Finlay Curtis, who was born in 2006 when Scotland last appeared at a World Cup in Germany. Curtis has been on loan from Rangers to Kilmarnock this season, scoring four goals in his last four games. The goalkeeping department raised concerns, with Angus Gunn playing only 45 minutes for Nottingham Forest this season and Craig Gordon, now 43, playing just one match for Hearts. However, Clarke defended his experienced options.
Clarke was asked about his own future beyond the World Cup but deflected, saying: "I don't think this is the day for speaking about me. Let's speak about the players and the squad." His message to the travelling Scotland fans, known as the Tartan Army, was simple: "Go there and enjoy yourself and do what you always do and give us 100% backing because that's what they do."
The Scottish football season ended with controversy after pitch invasions at Celtic Park on Saturday, which Clarke condemned. "People invading the pitch is not right because player safety is endangered. The pitch is the player's place of work. People should not go on the pitch," he said firmly. Despite the domestic drama, Clarke insisted the international scene is separate and the squad feels confident heading into the tournament.