Scotland have a chance to reach the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the first time when they face Morocco.Steve Clarkes men ended their countrys wait for a first World Cup win since 1990 when they beat Haiti 1-0 in their Group C opener.With the eight best third-placed finishers going through to the knockouts, that result could prove to be enough for Scotland.But they will be keen to remove any doubt by upsetting the odds against Morocco, who won this fixture 3-0 in the final game of Scotlands previous finals appearance in 1998.Scotland fans will be keen to see their team avenge that defeat, though that will be easier said than done.The Atlas Lions were impressive in a pulsating first half of their opening game with Brazil, though they could not claim all three points as Ismael Saibaris opener was cancelled out by Vinicius Junior.Still, that display underlined why Morocco are well fancied to go deep into the tournament again after reaching the semi-finals in 2022.And Clarke and Scotland captain Andy Robertson know the challenge they face against the team controversially awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title this year.Any time you play a team inside the worlds top 10, you know youre going to have to be good without and with the ball, Clarke told a pre-match press conference.Were under no illusions about the size of the task for the next game. Morocco reached the last four in the last World Cup and I think this team are slightly better than that that gives you idea of the task ahead.Asked about the possibility of reaching the knockouts for the first time, Robertson said: I dont think any of the lads and the coaching staff shy away from us wanting to be the first team to be able to do that for our country.We know how difficult that is going to be, were out playing against one of the best teams in the world but we believe we can make any game difficult and if we can do that, put in our best performance, then I believe we can get what we want and hopefully be the ones to achieve history.Table of ContentsWorld Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco team newsScotland v Morocco predicted World Cup 2026 line-upsWhere to watch Scotland v Morocco: TV channel, live online streamsWorld Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco statsWorld Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco predictionResponsible GamblingWorld Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco team newsScott McKenna (calf) is a doubt for Scotland, while Morocco have no fresh injury concerns.Scotland v Morocco predicted World Cup 2026 line-upsScotland: Gunn; Hickey, Hendry, Hanley, Robertson; Gannon-Doak, Ferguson, McTominay, McGinn; Adams, ShanklandMorocco: Bono; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi,El Khannouss; SaibariWhere to watch Scotland v Morocco: TV channel, live online streamsKick-off on Friday is at 23:00 BST (18:00 ET / 15:00 PT). In the UK, live coverage is on ITV1.Fans can stream the action via ITVs website and ITVX app, which is available on a vast variety of devices for viewing on the go.World Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco statsThese sides only previous encounter was during the group stage of the 1998 finals, Morocco winning 3-0 for their largest-ever World Cup victoryScotland have won eight of their last 11 competitive matches (D1 L2) and five of their last six (L1), with their only defeats coming home and away to GreeceJohn McGinn has scored 21 goals under manager Steve Clarke for Scotland, which is the joint-most goals by a player under a single Scotland manager along with Denis Law under Ian McColl (21 in 21 games)The Tartan Army could win more than one game and consecutive games at a single major tournament for the first timeClarke is leading Scotland at a third major tournament following EURO 2020 and EURO 2024, which is more than any other head coach for the national teamIncluding EURO appearances, Scotland have failed to surpass the opening round in any of their 12 previous attempts at major competitionsNine of Moroccos last 12 World Cup matches have come against European teams, with no side playing as many games at the tournament against European opposition since the 2018 finalsMorocco have lost one of their last six World Cup group matches against European opposition (W2 D3) a 1-0 defeat against Portugal in 2018They are unbeaten in their last five group stage matches at the World Cup (W2 D3), which is the joint-best run by an African nation: Cameroon were unbeaten in five between 1982 and 1990 and Senegal had five unbeaten group games between 2002 and 2018Reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi made more tackles (26) than any other player at the 2022World Cupand recorded the second-most ground duels won (41)Midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi was France Under-21 captain until the midfielders switch to Morocco was approved in May. Brahim Diaz, who top-scored at this years Africa Cup of Nations with five goals, was born in SpainWorld Cup 2026: Scotland v Morocco predictionScotland will have the backing of vocal travelling support for their second straight game in Foxborough, but a bump back down to earth seems likely against a side of Moroccos calibre.Prediction: Scotland 1-2 MoroccoResponsible GamblingGambling should always be approached as entertainment, not as a way to generate income. If you ever feel that gambling is becoming a problem, there are several organisations you can contact for free, confidential support.National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 8 am to midnight, 7 days a week)GamCare: www.gamcare.org.ukGambleAware: gambleaware.orgGamStop: www.gamstop.co.uk (free self-exclusion service)Tools available through bet365 include deposit limits, session time reminders, loss limits, self-exclusion and Reality Checks. These can be accessed via the Safer Gambling section of your account at any time. 18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Topics 2026 FIFA World Cup Achraf Hakimi Andrew Robertson Andy Robertson FIFA World Cup Morocco National Football Team Scotland National Football Team Scott McTominay Steve Clarke World Cup World Cup 2026 Add us as a preferred source on Google If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read World Cup 2026 live: Czechia vs South Africa confirmed teams and full line ups, TV channel, live online stream and stats Ben Miller 18th June, 2026 World Cup 2026: Ivory Coasts Wahi denied entry to Canada Nicholas McGee 18th June, 2026 World Cup 2026: Where to watch England and Scotland games on TV, full BBC and ITV listings, confirmed channels, schedule, live online streams, kick off times Ben Miller 18th June, 2026 USA v Australia: World Cup 2026 line-ups, stats and preview, TV channel, live online stream and prediction Ben Miller 18th June, 2026 World Cup boss Martinez defends Cristiano Ronaldo decision: The straight line is not the quickest Ben Miller 18th June, 2026 Mexico v South Korea: World Cup 2026 line-ups, stats and preview, TV channel, live online stream and prediction Nicholas McGee 18th June, 2026
