Scotland’s opening World Cup match pits them against Haiti, the tournament’s lowest‑ranked side at 83rd globally. Haiti qualified for the first time since 1974, beating Nicaragua, but their coach Sabastien Migne has never set foot in the country due to civil unrest, forcing home games in Curacao. Midfielder Jean‑Ricner Bellegarde leads a squad featuring MLS and European talent.

Group D also contains Morocco and Brazil, both heavyweights. Morocco sit eighth in the FIFA rankings, arrived as 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions after CAF overturned Senegal’s protest, and entered qualifying unbeaten with 22 goals scored and only two conceded. Brazil, five‑time winners, struggled in South America, finishing fifth and losing six matches, yet still field stars like Vinícius Júnior and Gabriel under Carlo Ancelotti.

Scotland can advance by beating Haiti and then snatching a point or a narrow loss against either Morocco or Brazil. A win would likely place them top of the group, sending them to Houston to meet the Group F runner‑up; a second‑place finish heads to Monterrey for the Group F winner. Failure to progress ends their campaign at the group stage.