Scotland will discover their World Cup 2026 qualifying group opponents this week, with the draw for the set to take place on Friday in Zurich.
It has been close to three decades since the Tartan Army were last at a World Cup, and Steve Clarke and his squad will be desperate to return to the world’s premiere football tournament for the first time since 1998.
Qualification for back-to-back European Championships, coupled with memorable wins over Spain, Norway and Croatia, have given Scotland fans hope that they can finally end their World Cup exile and seal their place at the 2026 tournament, which is set to take place across USA, Canada and Mexico.
With the draw for the European section of the qualifiers soon to be revealed, Scotland have been placed in pot three of the draw, where they will be drawn against one nations from pot one, one from pot two, one from pot four, and potentially one from pot five.
But who would be the best - and worst - teams for Scotland to be drawn against based on form and recent history? We rank all 41 of Scotland’s potential qualifying opponents, from most attractive to most difficult.
1. Liechtenstein - pot 5
Arguably the weakest team Scotland could draw in the qualifiers, Liechtenstein finished bottom of their Nations League group after failing to beat both San Marino and Gibraltar. A 1-0 friendly win over Hong Kong is their only victory in six. Last 6 games: W1, D2, L3. | Getty Images
2. Andorra - pot 5
Andorra are really struggling at the moment. Finishing bottom of their Nations League group, they were unable to beat 10-man Malta in their last match and failed to score in five of their last six matches. Last 6 games: W1, D1, L4. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
3. Gibraltar - pot 5
On one of their best runs in history, Gibraltar are unbeaten in their last six games. They were narrowly beaten to top spot in their Nations League group by San Marino though after drawing too many games. Last 6 games: W2, D4, L0. | Getty Images
4. San Marino - pot 5
There has never been a better time to be a fan of San Marino. Historically viewed as the world's worst international team, they've just won promotion to League C of the Nations League after topping their group. Scotland should be able to beat any pot five team, though San Marino can officially claim to be one of the better sides in the pot after a latest run. Last 6 games: W2, D1, L3. | PA