No Scotland, No Party — well, that’s depending on the results; otherwise, the party may continue on the flights all the way back to Glasgow. Scotland have a tough group on their hands — a group where even three points could be a tall feat — but who will they face across their three games?

Kicking off Scotland’s World Cup campaign is Haiti. The island, which shares a border with the Dominican Republic, is ranked 83rd by FIFA, making this a game that Scotland should feasibly win. However, the Scots have been known to allow teams to throw a spanner in the works, so expect the unexpected.

Similarly to Scotland, Haiti had to wait decades for a return to the stage, with the last time they qualified coming in 1974 — a championship in which they lost all of their group games and conceded 14 goals. Given their form at that World Cup, Scotland should be aiming to set out their stall for the rest of the group stage; a simple 4-0 victory would suffice for many of the Tartan Army.

Many Scots who have travelled, as well as those back home, have been not-so-quietly confident about dispatching the Haitians, but is this optimism misguided? If the FIFA rankings are set aside, this nation of 12 million people has quite the calibre of players to choose from. As they were formerly a French colony — gaining independence in 1804 — they are in the fortunate position of having French nationals eligible to play for their side, pending they obtain dual citizenship. Therefore, their current squad possesses quite the artillery in the front line, with quality players among their ranks — players who perform at the highest level in English and French football. So, the moral for Sunday morning’s match is not to underestimate the opponent.

Scotland’s next match on Friday is not for the faint-hearted and will certainly have blood pressure soaring, given they could desperately need a result against this side to keep hopes of knockout football alive.

Morocco is much higher in the FIFA rankings, sitting seventh, and are no strangers to footballing success, having recently — after much debate — been crowned African Cup of Nations winners. Their success is not only limited to Africa, as they also enjoyed one of their best World Cups last time around when, in 2022, they finished fourth after being beaten by Croatia. This time around, they will believe there is every chance of a better finish.

Some of their players may be unheard of and others not so much, but with many playing across the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, they have plenty of ability in their locker.

This is a team not short of footballing pedigree and one that has registered two massive victories before their World Cup campaign. They secured 5-0 and 4-0 wins against Burundi and Madagascar, so they definitely know how to pack a punch in attacking areas.

Scotland’s final — and arguably most nerve-racking — game, mainly through fear of the scoreline, is against footballing royalty: Brazil. The five-time World Cup winners, the most any country has ever won this competition, will either provide a moment in Scottish history or a shattering of hearts for the Scots.

Brazil need no introduction. They are one of the greatest footballing nations ever to grace this competition and have produced some of the most iconic players to ever step onto the pitch: Cafu, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Pele. 

Their FIFA ranking probably does not do their team of stars justice, and they will certainly aim to improve on sixth place by the time they wrap up the World Cup. Many will remember their heartbreak against Germany all those years ago, but with that firmly in the past, the star-studded line-up will be keen to get their hands on the trophy once again.

This may be the match the Scots fear the most — or perhaps not, as Scotland always try to play without fear — but with the possibility of Neymar, Martinelli, or Vinícius Júnior running at the ageing Scottish backline, nerves may certainly heighten.

Not to put a dampener on the feeling of hope and belief, but Scotland have only ever won two opening fixtures at the World Cup and have never progressed to the next round. However, as the saying goes — third time’s the charm.

There are a few possibilities for how Scotland can make it out of the group. Number one: they win all three games, taking the maximum number of points — unlikely, but let’s not squander hope. Number two: they secure qualification with two wins, with Haiti coming as a must-win game. Number three is extremely hopeful and would require multiple favours from other teams and other groups: Scotland manage one win and, by some miracle, sneak through.

The eight best third-placed teams advance to the next round, so no fewer than four points could guarantee Scotland a place; otherwise, it becomes one monumental challenge.

Across all three matches, the Scots march on with belief in their hearts, bagpipes in their wake, and a whole host of beer to either celebrate or commiserate. Nevertheless, this is a tournament the country will relish for weeks to come.