Scotland
Scotland national football team; ended a 28-year World Cup absence in 2026, exiting at the group stage.
Scotland ended a 28-year World Cup absence in 2026, and goalkeeper Craig Gordon, at 43 years and 162 days, became the oldest player at the entire tournament.
Last refreshed: 3 August 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Can Scotland end 28 years of World Cup hurt and win their first group stage match since 1974?
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Scotland's national football team returned to the FIFA World Cup in 2026, ending a 28-year absence that stretched back to France 1998, their previous appearance at football's largest stage. Manager Steve Clarke guided them through three consecutive major tournament qualifications (Euro 2020, Euro 2024, World Cup 2026), the most sustained run of achievement in modern Scottish football history.
Scotland were drawn into Group c alongside Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti. John McGinn's goal beat Haiti 1-0 on 13 June, Scotland's first World Cup win since 1990, then a 1-0 win over Morocco put them top of the group on six points, needing only a draw against Brazil to reach the knockout rounds for the first time since 1998. Brazil won that decider 3-0 on 24 June, leaving Scotland third on 3 points with a minus-three goal difference and dependent on best third-place calculations that did not go their way. Clarke said afterwards he expected to be 'heading home', leaving his own tenure an open question.
The 2026 campaign represents a watershed regardless of outcome: Scotland arrived having qualified for three consecutive major tournaments and with a squad depth, built around Scott McTominay and a Shankland-Adams forward pairing, that would have been unimaginable during the 1999-2020 qualifying drought.
Gordon leads the tournament's oldest field
Craig Gordon, at 43 years and 162 days, became the oldest player at any World Cup in the modern era when Scotland's squad was confirmed, one of five over-40 players at the 2026 tournament alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Edin Dzeko and Manuel Neuer.
Scotland's send-off warm-up on 6 June, a 4-0 win over Bolivia in which all four goals came before half-time, was the first time the side had scored four goals in one half in its international history, giving manager Steve Clarke a clean injury bill heading into a tournament Scotland had not reached since 1998.
When did Scotland last play in the World Cup before 2026?
How did Scotland prepare for the 2026 World Cup?
Who is Scotland's oldest player at the 2026 World Cup?
What is Scotland's 2026 World Cup squad like?
How did Scotland do at the 2026 World Cup?
Who manages Scotland at the 2026 World Cup?
