Scotland will be in a four-team group in World Cup qualifying.
It has been confirmed, as first reported by Dale Johnson, that Scotland will begin their World Cup qualifying campaign in September in a four-team group and miss out on a five-team group.
Due to draw complexities; teams can already be assigned to four-team groups depending on the number of teams in each pot needing a Nations League QF/playoff.
As Scotland will compete in the Nations League promotion/relegation playoffs, they will be assigned to a four-team group given the fixtures coincide with the first fixtures of teams in five-team groups.
The five-team groups will begin their qualifying campaigns in March - when Scotland are in Nations League action - with four-team groups to start qualifying matches in September.
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As a result of the draw complications, Scotland already know they will not face any of the six teams in Pot 5 of the World Cup qualifying draw.
Scotland could face any of the national teams in Pot 4 but know there are a number of sides impossible to draw in Pot 2.
Dale Johnson from ESPN made a slight error in his first post - there are NO Pot 1 restrictions for us Therefore we CAN still draw England and Switzerland. The fact we are definitely a 4 team group & face the below Pot 2 restrictions is still accurate Updated draw details ⤵️ https://t.co/8LN27GBCD3 pic.twitter.com/zQ7rzyfhTu
— Scotland’s Coefficient (@scotlandscoeff1) November 20, 2024
Steve Clarke's side cannot face Sweden, Wales, Poland, Romania, Czechia or Norway in World Cup qualifying.
However, Scotland could draw any of the teams in Pot 1 including England.
2026 World Cup qualifying pots in full (teams Scotland cannot draw scored out)
Pot 1
France
Spain
England
Belgium
Portugal
Netherlands
Italy
Germany
Croatia
Switzerland
Denmark
Austria
Pot 2
Ukraine
Turkiye
Sweden
Wales
Poland
Hungary
Serbia
Greece
Romania
Slovakia
Norway
Czechia
Pot 3
SCOTLAND
Slovenia
Republic of Ireland
Albania
Finland
Georgia
North Macedonia
Iceland
Northern Ireland
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Israel
Pot 4
Bulgaria
Luxembourg
Belarus
Armenia
Kosovo
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Estonia
Cyprus
Latvia
Faroe Islands
Lithuania
Pot 5
Moldova
Malta
Andorra
Gibraltar
Liechtenstein
San Marino
