The last time Scotland featured at a World Cup, Bill Clinton was in the White House, Tony Blair was Prime Minister and the dance music hit 'Feel It' dominated the charts (before being replaced by Fatboy Slim's 'Rockafeller Skank' by the end of the tournament).
That 1998 World Cup in France promised plenty for Scotland as they locked horns with defending champions Brazil in the opening match, but ultimately disappointed as they finished bottom of Group A, after two defeats and a draw. Nevertheless, the current crop, led by the 'McTominay-ssance', are full of optimism for the 2026 edition following an impressive qualification campaign.
So, who exactly could Scotland get at the 2026 World Cup tournament? GOAL breaks down the potential group stage opposition.
Who can Scotland get at World Cup 2026?
Scotland are in Pot Three for the World Cup 2026 group stage draw and therefore they will not be drawn against any other Pot Three teams. That means it is impossible for the Tartan Army to be in a group with the likes of Erling Haaland's Norway, Mohamed Salah's Egypt or South American side Paraguay.
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The teams Scotland face in the group stage of the tournament in North America will be drawn from Pots One, Two and Four. The general principle is that no two teams from the same federation can be drawn together, but this does not apply to European (UEFA) teams. Each group must have at least one, but no more than two European representatives, so there is a possibility that Scotland could face a fellow UEFA team.
You can see the pots containing Scotland possible opponents at the World Cup below.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 🇯🇴 Jordan |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 🇬🇭 Ghana |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 🇨🇼 Curacao |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 🇭🇹 Haiti |
| 🇫🇷 France | 🇯🇵 Japan | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| 🏴 England | 🇸🇳 Senegal | Wales / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Italy / N. Ireland |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 🇮🇷 Iran | Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | 🇰🇷 South Korea | Slovakia / Kosovo / Turkey / Romania |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | Czechia / Ireland / Denmark / N. Macedonia |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | 🇦🇹 Austria | New Caledonia / Jamaica / DR Congo |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇦🇺 Australia | Bolivia / Suriname / Iraq |
SEE MORE: Confirmed World Cup 2026 seeding pots
Scotland could face one of the following teams from Pot One: USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium or Germany.
The teams Scotland could face from Pot Two are: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia.
From Pot Four (lowest seeds), Scotland's potential opponents are: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, one of the four UEFA play-off winners or one of the two inter-continental play-off winners.
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What is the worst draw for Scotland?
A group containing Argentina, Morocco and one of the UEFA play-off winners (Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and Denmark are in the mix there), would not be an ideal draw for Scotland. Nor would a group made up of France, Colombia and Ghana. Indeed, any of the South American representatives in Pot Two would be tricky, with Ecuador finishing second in the CONMEBOL qualification and Uruguay boasting talent like Federico Valverde and Darwin Nunez.
In reality, given the spread of quality in the tournament, there are a number of potential draws that might be considered 'the worst'!
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What is the best draw for Scotland?
A relatively favourable draw for Scotland might look something like this: Canada (Pot One), Australia (Pot Two) and Cape Verde (Pot Four). Canada are ranked 27th in the FIFA ranking, so, despite being hosts and having some high-class talent they are probably the most desirable opponent from Pot One, though some fans might relish the prospect of colliding with England on the big stage...
✍️ What are your ideal and worst groups for Scotland? Let us know in the comments. 👇