First Minister John Swinney recently met the Scotland men’s national team in Glasgow to celebrate the squad qualifying for their first World Cup finals since 1998. The Scotland men’s national side, managed by Steve Clarke and captained by Andy Robertson MBE, will face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in Group C this month, with matches taking place in Boston and Miami.
The Scottish Government has announced £2 million for a “Summer of Sport” football fund to support clubs across the country to deliver new opportunities for children and young people by using the power of football.
A landmark moment
First Minister John Swinney said: “Football is woven into the fabric of life in Scotland. The men’s team qualifying for the World Cup was a landmark moment, and the reaction to the dramatic win against Denmark illustrated how important football is to this country. Thousands of fans will make the journey to the USA, but the whole country will be right behind the team. The Scottish Government will build on the excitement surrounding the World Cup and Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games to deliver new sporting opportunities for young people across the country. Qualifying for the finals is an incredible achievement and I’m very proud of the team – this was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate that success.”
Monday 15 June 2026 has officially been confirmed as a national bank holiday to mark Scotland’s participation in the men’s football World Cup finals. The holiday was proposed by First Minister John Swinney to allow people, businesses and other organisations in Scotland to celebrate after the team’s opening game against Haiti.
Scotland’s World Cup group fixtures:
Scotland v Haiti — Boston, 14 June, 21:00ET/02:00 BST
Scotland v Morocco — Boston, 19 June, 18:00ET/23:00 BST
Scotland v Brazil — Miami, 24 June, 18:00ET/23:00 BST
Main photo: First Minister meets with Scottish National Football Team. Photo: The Scottish Government.
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