Scotland’s 28-year wait to qualify for the World Cup was finally ended last month when their memorable 4-2 win over Denmark saw them top their group and gain a direct passage to next summer’s tournament.
Set to take place across USA, Mexico, and Canada, Steve Clarke’s side won’t have to wait anywhere near as long to discover who they will face at the competition, with the draw set to take place at the Kennedy Center in the American capital of Washington DC on Friday, December 5.
With Scotland placed in pot 3 of the draw, they know they will face a nation from pot 1, pot 2, and pot 4 - but which nations would be the most difficult to face?
Here, The Scotsman rank every pot 1 team in the World Cup 2026 draw ranked on difficulty, from easiest to most difficult. Do you agree with our rankings?
1. Canada (Difficultly rating: 4)
While Canada are far from a poor side, in the context of pot 1, they would be nation Scotland would most like to be pitted against. While any of the host nations are beatable, USA look in better form than their neighbours, and facing Mexico on home soil would be a real task. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
2. USA (Difficultly rating: 5)
While the USA are ranked above fellow host nation Mexico in the FIFA rankings, playing them on home soil rather than the former would be preferable - at least on paper. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
3. Belgium (Difficultly rating: 7)
The Belgian's golden generation is largely over, though they still possess some real quality. It would be a tough match up, but draws against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia in recent months prove they are no longer the powerhouse they once were. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
4. Mexico (Difficultly rating: 7)
The Mexican national team are ranked as highly as 15th in the current FIFA rankings, and are known to have a vigorously passionate fanbase. They may not have the talent of some pot 1 teams, but this would be an really tough game for Scotland to navigate - especially if it was the tournament's opening game. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: Getty Images