SCOTLAND are so close we can almost touch it – the 2026 World Cup finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada, that is.
A win against Belarus at Hampden Park on Sunday night could be enough for Steve Clarke‘s men to secure a playoff spot, if Denmark can take care of Greece on the same night.
That would mean this incredibly talented Greek side are OUT of the running for a World Cup spot BEFORE we travel to face them in Athens – with more chance of withdrawals and less edge in their game.
Alternatively, should Scotland win and Greece TAKE something in Copenhagen on Sunday then the Scots will go into November’s crucial double header TOP of the pile, knowing that a simple win over Denmark OR Greece would be enough to WIN the group.
There’s certainly drama to go – not least as the play-offs are done on a semi-final and final basis, like the ones which took us to Euro 2020.
But the odds have shifted significantly in favour of Scotland ending our 28-year-exile from the game’s global stage on the back of last night’s result.
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So SunSport thought it was worth giving you a quick beginners’ guide about what fans can expect – with tickets ALREADY ON SALE for matches next summer.
When and where will the 2026 World Cup take place?
- The World Cup will be held across the USA, Canada and Mexico
- It will take place between June 11 and July 19
What are the 2026 World Cup venues?
- There’s a total of 16 venues for the tournament – 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico and two in Canada
- Dallas Stadium – Arlington, Texas (capacity 94,000)
- New York New Jersey Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (capacity 82,500)
- Atlanta Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia (capacity 75,000)
- Kansas City Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri (73,000)
- Houston Stadium – Houston, Texas (capacity 72,000)
- San Francisco Bay Area Stadium – Santa Clara, California (71,000)
- Los Angeles Stadium – Inglewood, California (70,000)
- Philadelphia Stadium – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (69,000)
- Seattle Stadium – Seattle, Washington (capacity 69,000)
- Boston Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts (65,000)
- Miami Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida (capacity 65,000)
- Toronto Stadium – Toronto (capacity: 45,000)
- BC Place Vancouver – Vancouver (capacity 54,000)
- Estadio Azteca Mexico City – Mexico City (capacity 83,000)
- Estadio Monterrey – Guadalupe (capacity 53,500)
- Estadio Guadalajara – Zapopan (capacity 48,000)
How many teams will take part and when is the draw?
- 48 teams from six confederations will take part
- The teams will be split into 12 groups of 4, with the top 2 of each group and the 8 best third-placed teams progressing to a new round of 32
- The draw will take place on December 5 – with groups set to be based around a specific hub
- The semi-finals will be in Dallas and Atlanta, with the final at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey
When will the matches kick off and why?
- Kick-off times are set to be 5pm, 8pm, 11pm and 2am (all BST) in a similar pattern to what was seen at the Club World Cup earlier this year.
- That’s to accommodate the various time zones in the USA, Mexico and Canada
- The 5pm and 8pm kick-offs suited European broadcasters but caused issues for players, with these games often taking place in the peak of the American summer.
Which teams have already qualified?
- Australia
- Iran
- Japan
- Jordan
- South Korea
- Uzbekistan
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
- New Zealand
- Canada (co-hosts)
- Mexico (co-hosts)
- USA (co-hosts)
How much do tickets cost and how can I get them?
- The first batch of tickets for next summer’s matches went on sale last week, with more than 4.5 million fans entering a draw for a chance to buy them.
- A second “Early Ticket Draw” will open later this month – October 27 to 31
- General admission tickets are split into four categories, with those for the first match in the USA costing between $560 (£417) and $2,235 (£1,662) – this compares to the World Cup in Qatar, where the opening match was priced between $55 (£41) and $618 (£460).
- The cheapest ticket for the 2026 final costs $2,030 (£1,510), and the most expensive is $6,000 (£4,462) – with hosptality costs set to be even higher.
- A tiny amount of tickets for matches early in the tournament can be available for as little as $60 (£44)
- Fifa is also adopting a ‘dynamic’ pricing model for the tournament, meaning ticket prices for matches deemed high demand could be raised significantly during later sales periods.
- You can access the Fifa ticket portal, including re-sale HERE
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
