Scotland national football team
Men's national association football TEAM representing Scotland, run by the Scottish Football Association.
Scotland went out of the 2026 World Cup at the group stage, third in Group C on three points after beating Haiti 1-0 on 13 June and losing 1-0 to Morocco and 3-0 to Brazil.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026
Timeline for Scotland national football team
Mentioned in: Neymar fit for Brazil v Japan
2026 FIFA World CupLost 0-3 to Brazil and finished third in Group C
2026 FIFA World Cup: Brazil win Group C, Vinicius twiceMentioned in: Neymar returns after 20 months out
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Haiti score after a 52-year wait
2026 FIFA World CupFinished third in Group C on 3 points with a -3 goal difference
2026 FIFA World Cup: Scotland third as Clarke fears exitBackground
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in men's international football and is run by the Scottish Football Association. It plays as one of the four home nations of the United Kingdom, each with its own TEAM.
The 2026 finals in North America were its first World Cup since France 1998. The side arrived in form: it beat Bolivia 4-0 in Harrison, New Jersey on 6 June, scoring all four goals before half-time, the first four-goal first half in its international history according to Opta. Its goalkeeper Craig Gordon, at 43 years and 162 days, was the oldest player at any World Cup in the modern era.
Scotland have never qualified from a World Cup group. The 2026 campaign added its first finals win in 36 years but ended the same way, and head coach Steve Clarke said after the Brazil defeat on 24 June, "Think we're heading home".
Scotland end a 36-year winless run
John McGinn's deflected strike on 28 minutes beat Haiti 1-0 in Foxborough on 13 June 2026, Scotland's first World Cup win since the 1990 tournament in Italy and their first finals match since France 1998. It put them top of Group C after one round.
The group then turned against them. Morocco won 1-0 at Gillette Stadium on 19 June, Ismael Saibari scoring in the second minute. Brazil won 3-0 in Miami Gardens on 24 June, Vinícius Júnior scoring twice, with expected goals of 4.46 to Scotland's 1.13. Scotland finished third on three points with a goal difference of minus three. Only the eight best third-placed sides advanced under the 48-TEAM format, and Scotland went home still without a match in a World Cup knockout round.