Scotland return to World Cup with 1-0 win over Haiti
Al Jazeera English
John McGinn scored the only goal from a deflection, handing Scotland its first World Cup win since 1990. The 1-0 victory over Haiti came in the opening match of Group C at Gillette Stadium.
In the opening match of Group C at the 2026 World Cup, Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 thanks to a 28th-minute goal by John McGinn. This marks Scotland's first victory at a World Cup since a 2-1 win over Sweden in 1990, and also their first win at a major tournament since Euro 96.
The match took place at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts (USA), which has a capacity of 64,000 seats, with the majority of fans being Scottish supporters. The European side had to wait 28 years to return to the World Cup after their last appearance in 1998.
The goal came in the 28th minute when Che Adams stretched the Haitian defense, creating space for Ben Gannon-Doak to cross into the middle. The ball reached John McGinn, and the Aston Villa captain's shot hit the net after deflecting off the leg of defender Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
Earlier, Scott McTominay nearly opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball hit the post following an assist from Ben Gannon-Doak.
Haiti, ranked 84th in the world and one of the tournament's weakest teams, applied significant pressure in the second half. Forward Frantzdy Pierrot almost equalized in the 85th minute with a powerful header that went just wide of the post. Nevertheless, Scotland held onto their advantage and secured all three points.
This is Haiti's first World Cup qualification since 1974. The Caribbean side had to play their qualifying matches on neutral ground due to political instability in the country. Two of their standout players are Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Wilson Isidor, both of whom played in the Premier League last season.
With this win, Scotland temporarily tops Group C. They will face Morocco on June 18 at the same Gillette Stadium, before traveling to Miami to take on Brazil. Meanwhile, Morocco and Brazil drew 1-1 in the earlier group match in New Jersey.
Head coach Steve Clarke hopes Scotland can make history by advancing past the World Cup group stage for the first time, something they have never achieved. With the new format, the eight best third-placed teams will also advance, opening up an opportunity for Scotland.
