Steve Clarke is urging the Tartan Army to “anticipate success” and drive Scotland to the World Cup when they host Denmark in a winner-takes-all clash at Hampden Park. Scotland last played at the tournament in 1998; a win against Denmark would secure automatic qualification for next summer’s expanded 2026 World Cup in North America.
Scotland’s winning run in Group C ended with a defeat in Greece, but Denmark’s surprise draw with Belarus kept Scotland’s hopes alive. Clarke said the team left Greece “probably finishing in a good moment with good momentum in the game” and stressed the importance of carrying that into the Denmark match with strong backing from a full Hampden crowd. He asked fans to be positive from the first minute and to support the team through difficult moments, saying: “Play with the anticipation of success and not the fear of failure.”
Home support has been mixed this qualifying campaign: Scotland were booed by some fans at half-time in a home game against Greece and faced jeering after a 2-1 win over Belarus. Clarke believes the right atmosphere can inspire both players and fans and help produce something special.
A place in the March play-offs is already secured for Scotland, but automatic qualification is the ultimate prize. Here is how the remainder of European qualifying and the play-offs work, and what Scotland can achieve with a win.
How do the play-offs work?
– The 12 group runners-up enter the play-offs, joined by the four best-ranked group winners from the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League who did not finish first or second in their European Qualifying groups.
– Those 16 teams are drawn into four play-off paths, each containing four teams.
– Play-off ties are single-leg semi-finals followed by single-leg finals, played within the same international window from March 26-31, 2026.
How many European teams will qualify?
– UEFA will have 16 slots at the 2026 World Cup.
– The 12 European group winners qualify directly.
– The remaining four European berths are decided via the play-offs involving the 12 runners-up (plus the four Nations League teams as described).
Key dates
– Final group-stage match dates: November 13-18, 2025
– Play-off matches: March 26-31, 2026
– World Cup finals: June 11 to July 19, 2026
About the 2026 World Cup
– The 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
– It will be hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico — the first World Cup staged by three nations.
– The tournament is expanded to 48 teams, up from 32 in Qatar 2022.
Tournament schedule overview
– Group stage: June 11-27
– Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
– Round of 16: July 4-7
– Quarter-finals: July 9-11
– Semi-finals: July 14-15
– Third-place play-off: July 18
– Final: July 19
A win over Denmark at Hampden would end Scotland’s 28-year absence from football’s biggest stage and secure direct passage to the expanded World Cup in North America; anything less would mean navigating the March play-offs for a chance to qualify.