Scotland eliminated from 2026 World Cup
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- Scotland were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after Croatia's 2-1 win over Ghana in Group L sealed their fate, leaving them unable to finish as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
- Scotland finished third in Group C on three points with a -3 goal difference after a 1-0 win over Haiti, a 1-0 loss to Morocco, and a 3-0 loss to Brazil in Miami.
- Scotland's only goal of the tournament was John McGinn's deflected strike against Haiti, their first World Cup win in 36 years.
- Vinicius Jr scored twice against Scotland after first-half defensive errors, including Scott McKenna being dispossessed inside his own penalty area to gift the opener.
- Scotland had waited 28 years to return to a World Cup after booking their spot with a dramatic win over Denmark in November, extending a record of nine World Cup and four European Championship appearances without progressing past the group stage.
- Scotland's predicted chance of progressing had dropped to 5.26% before Croatia's result officially ended their wait, reduced by results such as Ecuador's comeback win against Germany.
Why it matters: Scotland's elimination extends a painful record: nine World Cup and four European Championship appearances without ever advancing past the group stage. The manner of the Brazil loss—two first-half goals conceded directly from defensive errors—will intensify scrutiny on Steve Clarke's future, a question BBC Sport's headline coverage is already raising. For a nation that waited 28 years to return, one goal in three matches underlines how steep the gap remains.
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