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Scotland will play their first World Cup match since 1998 in the early hours of Sunday morning when they take on Haiti in Boston.
Steve Clarke's men will be keen to get off to a positive start at the tournament, particularly as they have Brazil and Morocco to come in Group C.
Meanwhile, the occasion is arguably even more significant for Haiti, as it will mark their first match at a World Cup in more than 50 years.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions, as well as our best World Cup betting offers.
Haiti vs Scotland key stats
- Scotland come into the match on the back of two confidence-boosting wins over Bolivia and Curacao.
- Haiti have failed to win each of their last three matches against nations ranked higher than them in the world.
- Scotland have scored eight goals across their last two matches.
Haiti vs Scotland preview: Clarke's men to bring the heat
| Haiti | vs | Scotland |
|---|---|---|
| 83rd | FIFA Ranking | 42nd |
| Johny Placide (82) | Most Caps | Andy Robertson (94) |
| Duckens Nazon (44) | Most Goals | John McGinn (20) |
| 624 | Total Caps | 973 |
| 115 | Total Goals | 98 |
| 0 | Uncapped Players | 0 |
One of the biggest battles that Scotland are going to face this summer is the soaring heat in North America, so the fact that they have been given a night match for their opener is excellent news for Steve Clarke.
Another positive for Clarke is how sharp his side have looked in their warm-up matches. After being unfairly booed off the pitch at Hampden Park back in March after a defeat to Japan, Scotland have responded well by winning two of their three subsequent matches, conceding just twice in the process.
In their most recent outing, they thumped Bolivia 4-0 in New Jersey. While Bolivia are not set to compete in the World Cup this summer, they are ranked higher than Haiti, which bodes well ahead of Saturday night.
Clarke is unlikely to do anything radical in terms of team selection and tactics for his opener. The key men will be Scott McTominay, Andy Robertson and John McGinn, and if all three of those men play to their respective levels on Saturday, then Scotland should have too much for Haiti.
There are some minor doubts about McTominay's availability this weekend due to a stomach bug, but the former Manchester United man is highly unlikely to sit this one out unless he absolutely has to.
As for Haiti, playing matches at a neutral venue is nothing new to them, as all of their ‘home' matches have been played in Curacao since 2024 due to severe security issues in Haiti.
It's impossible to say that playing ‘home' matches 500 miles away from home has had an impact on them, though. They won six of their ten initial CONCACAF qualifiers, including memorable victories over Costa Rica and Nicaragua in November to book their place at the World Cup.
Manager Sebastien Migne knows that he can throw caution to the wind this summer, but he will be well aware that this match represents their best chance of getting some points on the board in what is a brutal group for the minnows.
Migne has picked the same starting XI for both of Haiti's most recent World Cup warm-up matches, so it would be odd if he decided to change things now, especially as there are no known injuries to report.
Haiti vs Scotland form guide & betting tips
| Haiti | vs | Scotland |
|---|---|---|
WLDWL |
Form | WLLWW |
| 8 | Goals For | 12 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 5 |
N/A |
World Cup | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Haiti 1-3 Scotland
Scotland have scored four goals in each of their last two matches, but they have not managed to do so in three consecutive matches in nearly 100 years. Scotland to score over 2.5 goals has been priced at 9/4.
When Scotland win, they usually do so comfortably, with six of their last seven victories coming via a margin of two goals or more. Scotland to win with a -1.5 handicap has been priced at 29/20.
Lawrence Shankland has scored three times across Scotland's last two warm-up matches. Shankland to score anytime has been priced at 5/4.
> Scotland to score over 2.5 goals at 9/4 (3.25) | Likelihood: Possible
> Scotland to win (-1.5 handicap) at 29/20 (2.45) | Likelihood: Possible
> Shankland to score anytime at 5/4 (2.25) | Likelihood: Possible