Scotland’s long wait for a men’s World Cup game ended against Haiti, with the Tartan Army loud from the start as the 2026 Group C match got under way. The opener arrived with John McGinn and Scott McTominay in the midfield, Gunn in goal, and Adams alongside Lawrence Shankland in attack.
That mattered because Scotland had not played a men’s World Cup match for 28 years, and this one immediately felt like a live occasion rather than a slow return. Radio commentary was available through the watch and listen tab, and the wider picture in Group C was already shifting, with Brazil and Morocco level at 1-1 in the other game.
James McFadden summed up the mood with a line that fit the noise inside Boston Stadium, saying Scotland had their foot on the ball and then adding: “If we win the World Cup, can someone please put a traffic cone on the Statue of Liberty?” The crowd answered in kind, singing “No Scotland, No Party” while the team began brightly.
Pat Nevin also saw Scotland on the front foot, saying they had the vast majority of possession and were trying to get players into the box. But the early rhythm did not stay neat for long. Lawrence Shankland gave away the ball before Louicius Deedson ran off Lewis Ferguson and dragged a harmless shot well wide, the kind of loose moment that made the game feel hectic even with Scotland in control of possession.
That is the shape of Scotland’s return: a big day, a loud backing from the Tartan Army, and enough early territory to justify belief, but not yet a result to hang it on. With the live update still open, the next thing that matters is whether Scotland can turn all that noise and possession into the first World Cup win of this new chapter.
