Scotland to face Belarus, Greece and Portugal or Denmark

Scotland will face Belarus, Greece and Portugal or Denmark in World Cup qualifying.

The loser of Portugal and Denmark's two-legged Nations League A quarter-final in March will be in Scotland's section and host Steve Clarke's side in the opening fixture in Group C on 5 September.

The Scots last featured at a World Cup finals in 1998 during Craig Brown's tenure as manager.

Group winners after the final match on 11 November will progress to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with the runner-up entering the play-offs, which will feature semi-finals and finals.

Head coach Steve Clarke told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It doesn't matter who the Pot 1 team is, it'll be tough.

Recent Belarus home games have been played at neutral venues amid the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Ukraine.

"First off, it's to find out where the game will be played," Clarke said.

"The most important thing is to concentrate on the team, the players, the way they're going to play and make sure that wherever we play them and - put all the political stuff aside, for me - it's just to concentrate that we get the points that we require from that game."

Clarke's side reached the play-offs for the last World Cup in Qatar but were eliminated by Ukraine.

Scotland will face Greece in March's Nations League play-offs, aiming to remain in League A, and Clarke commented: "Greece, we'll get to know very well over the next year."

The men's team last faced Greece in competitive fixtures as part of the Euro 96 qualifying campaign, with the home side winning 1-0 on both occasions.

Portugal beat visitors Scotland 2-1 in their recent Nations League group, with the return fixture at Hampden finishing 0-0. Denmark beat Scotland at home in the last World Cup qualifying campaign but lost by the same 2-0 scoreline at Hampden.

Belarus won the last of four meetings with Scotland in 2005, a World Cup qualifier. The Scots won two and drew the other of the previous encounters.

Scotland's Group C fixtures

• Friday, 5 September: Denmark or Portugal (away)

• Monday, 8 September: Belarus (away)

• Thursday, 9 October: Greece (home)

• Sunday, 12 October: Belarus (home)

• Saturday, 15 November: Greece (away)

• Tuesday, 18 November: Denmark or Portugal (home)