Scotland vs Morocco Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Having earned themselves a victory in their opener against Haiti, Scotland now head into a game where they can secure qualification for the knockout stages against Morocco in Boston.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Scotland preview: An opening day win
Scotland returned to FIFA World Cup action by edging past Haiti by a goal to nil in Boston. The Tartan Army rode their luck a fair bit in the latter stages of the game but John McGinn’s deflected strike mid-way through the first half was enough to earn Steve Clarke’s side a crucial three points in Group C.
There will be a concern, though, and some criticism has arisen from their defeat of the Haitians. Such is the quality of their upcoming opponents, it may well be that simply having three points in the bank may not be enough for the Scots to edge through into the knockout stages at the end of the groups and there is a view that they didn’t quite rack up enough of a winning margin in their opener.
Morocco preview: Strong Moroccans
Morocco come into their second group stage game on the back of an impressive performance as they shared a 1-1 draw against five-time world champions Brazil in New York/New Jersey. The Atlas Lions took the lead via Bayern Munich-bound Ismael Saibari before Vinicius Junior produced a stunning strike to equalise for the Selecao in the first half.
Carlo Ancelotti has not quite got to grips with his Brazil squad just yet and they have failed to show much quality consistency throughout his reign thus far. The Brazilians were played off the park in that opener against the Moroccans but the former Real Madrid boss was able to tweak some things to limit the North Africans in the second half and escape their opening game with a draw.
Scotland team news: Potential shift
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Steve Clarke may well return to his preferred back three system as Scotland now come up against stronger opposition, having played a back four against Curacao and Bolivia in pre-tournament friendlies as well as against Haiti.
The casualty from that tactical switch would likely be one of Ben Gannon Doak or Che Adams, with Kieran Tierney most likely to be the man to bolster their back-line.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Gunn; Hendry, Hanley, Tierney; Hickey, McTominay, Ferguson, McGinn, Robertson; Shankland, Adams
Unavailable:
Questionable: McKenna (Fitness)
Morocco team news: 'Keeper doubt
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Having lost both Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli on the eve of the tournament due to injury, Morocco are now sweating on the fitness of key goalkeeper Bounou.
The former Sevilla man, now of Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, suffered a shoulder injury against the Brazilians and he has had some scans afterwards with further news not yet emerging over his potential availability for this one.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Brahim, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Saibari
Unavailable:
Questionable: Bounou (Injured)
Scotland’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Andy Robertson ($5.0m) – Defender
Scott McTominay ($6.5m) – Midfielder
John McGinn ($6.0m) – Midfielder
Matchday 2 captain pick: Scott McTominay
Set-piece duty
Penalties: John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Scott McTominay
Free kicks: Andy Robertson, John McGinn
Corners: Andy Robertson, John McGinn
Morocco’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m) – Defender
Ismael Saibari ($6.8m) – Midifelder
Brahim Diaz ($6.4m) – Midfielder
Matchday 2 captain pick: Brahim Diaz
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Soufiane Rahimi, Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi
Free kicks: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Corners: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Key stats
- Morocco defeated Scotland 3-0 in the 1998 FIFA World Cup group stage in the only previous meeting between the sides. The result remains Morocco’s biggest-ever victory at the finals. It is also the nations’ only encounter in any competition, including friendlies.
- Scotland are aiming to record back-to-back wins in the same edition of the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
- Scotland have been losing at half-time in only one of their last 19 FIFA World Cup matches.
- Morocco have lost only one of their last six FIFA World Cup group matches against European teams (W2 D3).
- Achraf Hakimi could set a record for most matches played by an African player at the FIFA World Cup; he is currently tied on 11 appearances with François Omam-Biyik (Cameroon) and Asamoah Gyan (Ghana).
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
Scotland vs Morocco prediction
Morocco reached the semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and they are the African champions, crowned that in March after CAF deemed Senegal to have forfeited the game due to their protests in the final in January. They will believe they can go deep in this tournament, too, even with the injury issues that they have encountered in the build-up.
Scotland will return to their more cautious style, knowing a point may be all that is required from their final two matches. That should lead to another low-scoring affair in Boston but one in which the Moroccans still have to be backed, especially with the variety of options that they have in the final third to deal with a different tactical setup to what they faced against the Brazilians.
Scotland vs Morocco betting tip: Morocco to win & under 3.5 goals
