Steve Clarke emphasizes that Haiti's strength should not be underestimated.

Scotland, the "Highland Warriors," will travel to Gillette Stadium to face Haiti in their opening Group C match of the 2026 World Cup. Manager Steve Clarke stated that the team must not underestimate Haiti's strength and must be wary of their attacking threats.

In an earlier friendly match, Scotland defeated Bolivia 3-0 after goals from Lawrence Shankland, McTominay and Che Adams.

Regarding the lineup, Scotland manager Steve Clarke said that McTominay, who had been suffering from stomach problems, is ready to play, but Scott McKenna will be absent due to injury.

Steve Clark stated, "Scott McKenna will miss the game due to some issues with his leg muscles. He is nearing recovery and is expected to resume training on Monday."

"The most important thing is to respect our opponents, make sure we are fully prepared, and play our best, then see how the game goes. We have done very detailed research on Haiti and fully respect their ability on the field. They have further strengthened their squad since qualifying for the World Cup."

Steve Clark pointed out, "We think we know their style of play quite well and have a general idea of what system they will use. They have a lot of very impactful players, especially in attack, so we have to be vigilant."

In addition, Scotland failed to advance from the group stage in both the 2020 and 2024 European Championships, and also lost to the Czech Republic and Germany.

Steve Clark stated, "The game against Germany was simple: don't get beaten so badly again. The game against the Czech Republic was different. Although we ultimately lost 0-2, we actually had the upper hand for a period of the game. The game against Germany, on the other hand, was completely below our usual standard."

“We know that playing against Haiti will be a very tough match, after all, this is our first time returning to the World Cup in 28 years. Haiti will definitely give it their all, and we must solve the problems they bring, while also showing our best.”

Steve Clark added, "The players have also talked about not wanting to have any regrets, and I think it's commendable that they've made it to these major tournaments in a row, but we want to do something special."

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