2 June 2026
Analysing Scotland's World Cup squad
Scotland have named their 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, their first appearance at the tournament since 1998.
Steve Clarke announced his group on 19 May, and with FIFA World Cup match odds already building around Group C, which pits Scotland against Haiti, Morocco, and a Brazil side they also faced 28 years ago, the selection has generated considerable debate.
Here is a look at the key talking points from the announcement.
The goalkeepers
The most eyebrow-raising aspect of the goalkeeper selection is the inclusion of Craig Gordon. The 43-year-old Hearts stopper has not played since January due to a shoulder injury, and his place in the squad represents a significant act of faith from Clarke, who has relied on Gordon throughout his tenure.
Angus Gunn of Nottingham Forest and Rangers' Liam Kelly complete the three, with Clarke confirming he will bring an unnamed younger goalkeeper as a 27th man for training purposes. The lack of regular game time across all three will be a concern, but Clarke has publicly backed Gordon's fitness and cited his contribution to the qualifying campaign as a factor in his inclusion.
A well-stocked defence
Andy Robertson captains the squad into what is almost certainly his final World Cup, arriving with 92 caps and 10 short of Kenny Dalglish's all-time Scotland record. The Liverpool left-back has been the bedrock of Clarke's tenure, and his leadership will be invaluable regardless of whether he starts every game.
Kieran Tierney's inclusion adds further quality on the left, while Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson, both of whom missed Euro 2024 through injury, return to provide competition at right-back. Grant Hanley's place raised some concern after he appeared to pick up a knee injury on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season, but he has proven his fitness to Clarke.
Dom Hyam of Wrexham is the most left-field selection in the defensive unit, but his form has warranted the call-up.
Midfield depth
Scott McTominay and John McGinn remain the heartbeat of the side. McTominay's transformation at Napoli under Antonio Conte has been one of the stories of the European season, and he arrives at the World Cup in the best form of his career.
McGinn goes into the tournament on the back of the Europa League final with Aston Villa (pictured). Billy Gilmour, also at Napoli, has endured an injury-hit season but retains Clarke's confidence. Lewis Ferguson's consistent performances for Bologna, Bournemouth duo Ryan Christie and Ben Gannon-Doak, and the exciting young Rangers winger Findlay Curtis, who scored five goals in eight games on loan at Kilmarnock, complete a midfield group with a healthy blend of experience and emerging talent.
The notable omission from midfield is 19-year-old Lennon Miller of Udinese, who Clarke described as the most difficult conversation he had to have during the selection process. Clarke explained that squad balance ultimately led him to take an extra forward rather than an additional midfielder, a decision that will divide opinion given Miller's age and potential.
The forward line and the McBurnie question
The most controversial omission from the entire squad is Oli McBurnie. The Hull City striker scored 17 goals and provided eight assists in 39 Championship games this season, a return that by any reasonable measure demanded consideration.
Clarke instead opted for Ross Stewart, who returns to the squad for the first time since 2022 after an injury-plagued few years, alongside Lawrence Shankland, Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, and George Hirst.
Stewart's inclusion is the feel-good story of the squad, and Clarke was effusive in his praise, but McBurnie's omission despite that level of productivity feels difficult to justify on pure form grounds. Those looking at new customer betting offers ahead of Scotland's group stage fixtures will note that the attacking department looks short on proven international goals, which makes the decision to leave behind a striker of McBurnie's recent output all the more puzzling.
The group stage challenge
Scotland face Haiti on 13 June, Morocco on 19 June, and Brazil on 24 June, all in the eastern United States. The draw is not kind. Brazil and Morocco are both capable of reaching the latter stages of the tournament, and Scotland will likely need to beat Haiti and potentially take something from one of the other two to have any chance of progressing.
Clarke has spoken of wanting to do what no Scotland team has done before, and with this squad, built on experience, character, and a sprinkling of emerging talent, the platform is there. Whether it is enough to navigate one of the more difficult groups in the tournament remains the defining question of this World Cup campaign.