Scotland hosts Greece at Hampden Park on Thursday in a crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier that could significantly shape both nations’ qualification hopes.
Both teams are locked in a tight battle for supremacy in Group C, with Scotland currently sitting second on four points, just ahead of Greece on three points. Only the group winners secure automatic qualification, making this encounter essential for both sides’ World Cup ambitions.
Scotland vs Greece – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: 9th October, Thursday.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow.
Scotland Team News
Steve Clarke has welcomed back key defensive players for this vital double-header, with Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston both returning after injury concerns from the previous camp. The Celtic duo’s inclusion provides crucial depth to Scotland’s defensive options.
Veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon has been recalled to the squad at age 42, replacing Hearts teammate Zander Clark despite limited game time this season. The experienced shot-stopper last featured for Scotland in the Nations League play-off defeat to Greece in March and brings crucial big-match experience to Clarke’s squad.
Andy Robertson has alleviated injury fears after appearing to pick up a knock during Liverpool’s match against Chelsea. The Scotland captain expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming fixtures, stating he “can’t wait” to be back at Hampden for a competitive game, though his minutes may be managed carefully given his reduced role at Liverpool this season.
John McGinn is set to earn his 80th cap for Scotland, which would place him among the nation’s top five most-capped players. Notably absent is Oliver Burke, who has been in good goalscoring form for Union Berlin but has been omitted from the squad. Meanwhile, striker concerns persist with injuries affecting the forward line.
Greece Team News
Coach Ivan Jovanović faces minimal injury concerns for his squad, with only Panagiotis Retsos ruled out for the duration of the international break due to injury. The Serbian manager, who signed a contract extension until 2028 following Greece’s Nations League promotion, has continued to build on the momentum from their historic achievement.
Konstantinos Karetsas has been replaced in the squad by uncapped Kifissia winger Pavlos Pantelidis due to illness. The 17-year-old wonderkid, who became the youngest Nations League scorer when he netted against Scotland in March, will be a notable absence from the Greek setup.
Key attacking threats include Vangelis Pavlidis from Benfica, who has been in excellent form, and Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. The experienced Konstantinos Mavropanos anchors the defence for the visitors, while Konstantinos Tsimikas provides attacking threat from left-back.
Form
Scotland
Clarke’s side have shown resilience in their World Cup qualifying campaign, following their disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Greece in March’s Nations League play-off. They opened their qualifying campaign with a creditable 0-0 draw away to Denmark in Copenhagen, demonstrating defensive solidity against one of the group favourites.
Scotland then secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Belarus in Hungary, with goals from Che Adams and an own goal sealing the win. The performance against Belarus showcased Scotland’s ability to grind out results when needed, though it lacked the flowing football that fans hope to see at Hampden.
The Tartan Army have established an excellent home qualifying record, remaining unbeaten in their last 11 World Cup qualifying matches at Hampden Park (W8 D3). This statistic excludes their play-off defeat to Ukraine in June 2022 but highlights their fortress-like form in Glasgow.
Greece
The visitors arrive in Glasgow off the back of mixed recent form but with confidence from their Nations League heroics earlier this year. They opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with an impressive 5-1 thrashing of Belarus, showcasing their attacking capabilities under Jovanović.
However, Greece suffered a setback in their last outing, losing 3-0 at home to Denmark. This result highlighted some defensive frailties that Scotland will look to exploit, particularly given Denmark’s clinical finishing in Piraeus.
Despite the Denmark defeat, Greece have shown they can rise to the occasion against strong opposition. Their stunning victories over England at Wembley last year and their 3-0 triumph at Hampden Park in March demonstrate their capability to perform on the biggest stages.
Predicted Lineups
Scotland: Gunn; Ralston, Souttar, McKenna, Robertson; McGinn, Gilmour, Ferguson; McTominay; Doak, Adams
Greece: Tzolakis; Vagiannidis, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas; Zafeiris, Kourbelis; Karetsas, Bakasetas, Tzolis; Pavlidis
How to Watch Scotland vs Greece?
UK fans can watch the match live on BBC Two, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.
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