Scotland is 70 days away from kick-off in a men's World Cup for the first time in 28 years, with head coach Steve Clarke overseeing preparations to lead his team back to football's grandest stage. The side will face Haiti in Boston on June 14, followed by Japan at Hampden Park, before concluding their warm-up campaign against Curacao in May.
Clarke is working on a schedule that includes four friendly matches as part of the country's preparation for the World Cup. In addition to facing Haiti and Japan, Scotland will also play Ivory Coast at Everton's stadium later this year.
The preparations are taking place 137 days before the group opener in Boston. The team has had a good run with their last win coming over Denmark in November. This means that the country won't have to worry about World Cup qualification playoffs since they've secured a spot through their recent wins.
Meanwhile, Clarke is dealing with injury concerns. John McGinn and Lawrence Shankland are expected to miss up to two months due to injuries sustained by knee strains. Kieran Tierney suffered an injury while playing for Celtic but the extent of his condition has not been revealed yet. Billy Gannon-Doak also had surgery last November.
Clarke believes that there is always room in the squad for players who are not regulars, citing Harvey Barnes as a potential candidate. However, Andy Robertson appears unlikely to leave Liverpool before the summer with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly looking at him but this has been denied by Liverpool and Robertson himself.
Scotland's World Cup opponents, Haiti and Morocco, have been active since the last World Cup draw. Morocco suffered an heartbreaking defeat in the recent Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal. Despite their struggles, they are expected to be a force to be reckoned with at the tournament this year.
Ticket prices for matches will range from £134 to £523, sparking criticism from fans and politicians about Fifa's pricing strategy. However, Fifa has since introduced "more affordable" $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches, offering some relief for fans.
Clarke is working on a schedule that includes four friendly matches as part of the country's preparation for the World Cup. In addition to facing Haiti and Japan, Scotland will also play Ivory Coast at Everton's stadium later this year.
The preparations are taking place 137 days before the group opener in Boston. The team has had a good run with their last win coming over Denmark in November. This means that the country won't have to worry about World Cup qualification playoffs since they've secured a spot through their recent wins.
Meanwhile, Clarke is dealing with injury concerns. John McGinn and Lawrence Shankland are expected to miss up to two months due to injuries sustained by knee strains. Kieran Tierney suffered an injury while playing for Celtic but the extent of his condition has not been revealed yet. Billy Gannon-Doak also had surgery last November.
Clarke believes that there is always room in the squad for players who are not regulars, citing Harvey Barnes as a potential candidate. However, Andy Robertson appears unlikely to leave Liverpool before the summer with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly looking at him but this has been denied by Liverpool and Robertson himself.
Scotland's World Cup opponents, Haiti and Morocco, have been active since the last World Cup draw. Morocco suffered an heartbreaking defeat in the recent Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal. Despite their struggles, they are expected to be a force to be reckoned with at the tournament this year.
Ticket prices for matches will range from £134 to £523, sparking criticism from fans and politicians about Fifa's pricing strategy. However, Fifa has since introduced "more affordable" $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches, offering some relief for fans.
. I think Haiti and Japan will be tough opponents, especially Morocco if they're playing well after their Africa Cup of Nations loss 
. But what's up with those high ticket prices tho?! £134 to £523 is crazy... maybe FIFA should just chill and make some more affordable tickets available? 
Ugh, decisions like these make me doubt the whole World Cup thing again... 
! Clarke thinks he can just bring in Harvey Barnes and magically make them a world cup contender? Newsflash Steve, Haiti ain't that easy to beat 
. And what's up with the Liverpool situation? Robertson's staying put, don't @ me. The injuries aren't helping either... McGinn and Shankland are gonna be MIA for most of the tournament 
. It's like the universe is trying to trip them up at every turn. And then there's the ticket prices... £523? Are you kidding me?! 
. Haiti and Japan might seem like easy wins, but we know nothing about this team. They could totally pull off an upset. And Morocco? Forget it 
. They're just gonna come in here and crash the party. This World Cup is shaping up to be a total disaster 
.
. But, injury concerns are a major issue... fingers crossed that the players recover quickly 
.
And, let's be real, £523 for tickets is crazy 
. Morocco might be a tough opponent, but they've got this! 
️. Bring on the World Cup! 
At least FIFA came through with those $60 tickets for now 
It's been too long since they've been part of this massive football event, and I'm sure Steve Clarke is doing a great job to get them ready.
! Clarke seems like a solid coach and I think they've got a good shot at impressing people. But man, injuries are killing them right now 
. Haiti looks like they're gonna be the only weak link in Scotland's group, so fingers crossed they don't get too carried away 
!
- I hope John McGinn and Lawrence Shankland are back on their feet soon! Kieran Tierney's injury is a bit of a mystery, though... Fingers crossed he's okay!
OMG u guys I just saw the mostest up-to-date news on Scotland's men's team and they're SOOO close to qualifying for the World Cup 
after like 28 years!! Steve Clarke is doing such a great job leading them into this thing and I'm literally so invested in their games now 
its such a big deal and steve clarke is literally the man 
btw have u seen the ticket prices tho?? £523 for one game? that's like, insane 
FIFA needs to do better than that 
. But on the other hand, I've heard Morocco's gonna be a tough opponent and Scotland's gotta step up their game if they wanna win 
and btw, who's harvey barnes? never heard of him before 
. We spent hours exploring the "slices" and eating all sorts of weird and wonderful foods... anyway, it got me thinking about how cool it'd be to just travel around and discover new places like that. Speaking of which, have you guys ever been to any weird or fascinating tourist spots? I'm totally due for a trip soon 
i hope steve clarke can find a way to get them back fit on time tho