MOTD's Cates to front Denmark v Scotland for BBC

Kelly Cates will host television coverage of Denmark v Scotland on Friday

World Cup qualifying, Group C: Denmark v Scotland

Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen Date: Friday, 5 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland, BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app; listen on BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds; follow text updates on BBC Sport website & app

New Match of the Day presenter Kelly Cates will host exclusive BBC coverage as Scotland begin their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign on Friday.

The BBC has exclusive rights to broadcast all Scotland men's international matches live on television, radio and online in the run-up to the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Cates, who this season became one of three new Match of the Day presenters, will front the studio coverage on TV.

The daughter of Scotland, Celtic and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, Glasgow-born Cates has started the build-up to Friday's qualification opener in Denmark by interviewing head coach Steve Clarke.

During that conversation, Clarke discussed his memories of watching Scotland in previous World Cups, preparations for this campaign and the challenges in Group C, which also includes Belarus and Greece.

How can I watch the Scotland game on TV?

The BBC contract announced in March is part of a wider deal that also includes matches involving Northern Ireland and Wales.

It included 14 live Scotland matches, the first of which was the first leg of the Nations League play-off in Greece in March.

Coverage of all six World Cup qualifiers begins on Friday, when Cates will be joined by former Scotland internationals Scott Brown and Neil McCann, and ex-Denmark forward Peter Lovenkrands.

Two more former Scotland attackers, James McFadden and Steven Thompson, will be joining commentator Liam McLeod from Copenhagen.

The match will be shown live on the BBC Scotland channel, BBC Two, iPlayer and online, with coverage on BBC Scotland beginning at 19:15 BST and on BBC Two 15 minutes later.

Can I listen to the Scotland game on radio?

There will be full live Sportsound commentary on BBC Radio Scotland Extra and BBC Sounds.

Kicking-off at 19:00, former Scotland centre-back Willie Miller will join host Kenny Macintyre and Tom English in the studio, with another former international, Michael Stewart, providing analysis alongside commentator Alasdair Lamont in Denmark.

How is the Scotland game covered online?

There will be full live text coverage on the BBC Scotland website and app, including as-live goal clips and all the best punditry and analysis from Copenhagen to Glasgow, as well as the chance for fans to have their say.

After the game, you can rate the players and join in the conversation as we unpick the game and look forward to the trip to face Belarus three days later.

How can Scotland qualify for the World Cup?

One group, four teams, six matches each - and whoever tops the group come mid-November will be in December's World Cup draw.

Scotland would need to best Denmark, Greece and Belarus to do that. If they can't, second place does still offer a route to the finals.

The 12 group runners-up - plus the four best Nations League group winners who didn't finish top two - will be drawn into four paths. A single leg semi-final, the final, which decide which team will advance from those four paths.

When and where will the 2026 World Cup take place?

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The tournament will start on 11 June in Mexico City and end on 19 July in New Jersey.

It is being expanded to include 48 teams for the first time in its history, and as a result it will last a record 39 days.

The new format will also feature 12 four-team groups and a last-32 knockout round.