Scotland have secured their first World Cup appearance in 28 years after a dramatic 4–2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Two stoppage-time goals from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean sealed the historic win and confirmed Scotland’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Scott McTominay ignited the home crowd early, scoring a stunning overhead kick in the third minute. Denmark equalised in the second half through a Rasmus Hojlund penalty, but their momentum stalled when Rasmus Kristensen was shown a red card.
Lawrence Shankland later restored Scotland’s lead, only for Patrick Dorgu to level late on. Just when it seemed Scotland’s hopes might slip away, Tierney blasted in a long-range strike deep into added time, before McLean sealed the victory with an extraordinary effort from near the halfway line.
The win ensured Steve Clarke’s side finished their qualification campaign strongly, sparking wild celebrations in Glasgow.
Across Europe, several teams also booked their tickets to the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
– Spain secured qualification with a 2–2 draw against Turkey, extending their run to 13 consecutive World Cups.
– Austria qualified for their first World Cup since 1998 after Michael Gregoritsch scored in a 1–1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– Belgium cruised into the finals with a dominant 7–0 win over Liechtenstein, featuring braces from Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere.
– Switzerland confirmed their spot after a 1–1 draw with Kosovo, marking their sixth straight World Cup appearance.
The countdown to 2026 continues as Europe’s final qualifiers fall into place.
