Check out Scotland's odds to qualify from their World Cup 2026 group after Steve Clarke announced his 26-man squad.
Scotland are 2/5 to qualify from Group C at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Steve Clarke named his 26-man squad for the tournament.
The Tartan Army are preparing for Scotland’s first men’s World Cup appearance since 1998, with Clarke’s side drawn alongside Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in Group C. Ross Stewart has returned to the squad after a four-year absence, while 43-year-old Craig Gordon and teenager Findlay Curtis were also included.
Scotland are odds-on to reach the knockout stage, but bookmakers still expect a difficult route through the group. They are 4/9 favourites to beat Haiti in their opener, before going off as 5/2 underdogs against Morocco and 7/1 underdogs against Brazil.
Scotland World Cup Odds
| Market | Best odds | Implied probability* |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland to qualify from Group C | 2/5 | 71.4% |
| Scotland to win Group C | 12/1 | 7.7% |
| Scotland most likely stage of elimination: Round of 32 | 1/1 | 50.0% |
| Scott McTominay to be Scotland top goalscorer | 4/1 | 20.0% |
The prices suggest bookmakers expect Scotland to do enough to progress, but not necessarily as group winners. The 2/5 qualification price is the key betting angle, while the 12/1 group winner price reflects the challenge of finishing above Brazil and Morocco.
Scotland World Cup Group C fixtures and BST kick-off times
| Date | Match | Venue | BST kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 14 June | Haiti vs Scotland | Boston | 02:00 |
| Friday 19 June | Scotland vs Morocco | Boston | 23:00 |
| Wednesday 24 June | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami | 23:00 |
Why the Haiti opener could decide Scotland’s group
Scotland’s opening match against Haiti is already shaping up as the defining fixture of their Group C campaign.
At 4/9 to win, Clarke’s side are clear favourites to start with three points. Victory would put Scotland in a strong position before the tougher tests against Morocco and Brazil, but anything less would leave them needing a result against one of the group’s two strongest sides.
The expanded 2026 World Cup format also helps Scotland’s qualification chances. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will reach the Round of 32, alongside the eight best third-placed sides.
That means Scotland may not need to finish in the top two to qualify, making the 2/5 odds to qualify from Group C understandable despite their underdog status in two matches.
Scotland most likely to exit in the Round of 32
Bookmakers make the Round of 32 Scotland’s most likely stage of elimination at 1/1, reinforcing the view that Steve Clarke’s side are expected to escape Group C but may find the first knockout hurdle difficult to clear.
That would still represent a historic step for Scotland. They are preparing for their first men’s World Cup since 1998, and Scotland have never previously progressed beyond the group stage at a World Cup.
The new 48-team format gives Scotland a better chance of ending that record. The top two teams from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the expanded Round of 32. That helps explain why Scotland are 2/5 to qualify from Group C, despite being priced as underdogs against both Morocco and Brazil.
However, the stage-of-elimination market shows how bookmakers view Scotland’s likely ceiling. They are shorter to go out in the Round of 32 at 1/1 than they are to be eliminated in the group stage at 3/1, while a run to the Round of 16 is 7/2. A deeper knockout run is priced as much less likely, with Scotland 16/1 to reach the quarter-finals, 33/1 to make the semi-finals and 125/1 to finish as runners-up.
Scotland are also 250/1 to win the 2026 World Cup outright, underlining the gap between qualification hopes and genuine tournament-winning expectations.
In betting terms, the market is making a clear distinction: Scotland are expected to progress, but not expected to go deep. The opener against Haiti could therefore be decisive. A win would put Clarke’s side in a strong position to reach the knockouts, while anything less would leave them needing a result against Morocco or Brazil to justify their odds-on qualification price.
Scotland 2026 World Cup squad in full
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly.
Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Dom Hyam, Scott McKenna, Nathan Patterson, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney.
Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Findlay Curtis, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay.
Forwards: Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst, Lawrence Shankland, Ross Stewart.
