Scotland v Japan LIVE: Team news as hosts face tough pre-World Cup friendly at Hampden | OneFootball

Steve Clarke’s side are playing their first game since sealing qualification last November (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Scotland begin their countdown to the World Cup as they host Japan at Hampden in their first friendly since qualifying for this summer’s tournament.

The heartbreak suffered by Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the World Cup play-offs this week underlined Scotland’s rare opportunity after Steve Clarke’s side qualified automatically for the tournament for the first time since 1998 thanks to their memorable victory over Denmark in November.

Scotland have been drawn with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti at the World Cup, as the bid to advance from the group stages of a major tournament for the first time, and the Tartan Army have arranged fixtures against Japan and the Ivory Coast this March to help their build-up.

Clarke has named a settled squad for the two games, but Scotland will be without goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 43, due to a shoulder injury. The Hearts veteran has not featured since January, with deputy Angus Gunn also playing just 45 minutes for Nottingham Forest since October.

Scotland v Japan | Latest score updates

Match stats

Japan have won five of their last six matches against European nations (D1), having lost six games in a row beforehand against European teams.

Scotland have won eight of their last 12 matches (D1 L3), having only won one of their previous 16 beforehand (D5 L10).

Team news

The line-ups could arrive any time now, so here’s a reminder of the early Scotland team news...

Clarke will be without his No 1 goalkeeper in the 43-year-old Craig Gordon, who faces a race to be fit for the World Cup due to a shoulder injury. His Hearts team-mate, and a scorer in that 4-2 win over Denmark, striker Lawrence Shankland is also unavailable as he builds up his match fitness. Winger Ben Gannon-Doak is another who has only recently returned from injury and doesn’t make the squad, with right back Aaron Hickey also unavailable due to a hamstring injury.

Angus Gunn is likely to start in goal, despite not playing since Scotland’s win over Belarus in October, while Everton right-back Nathan Patterson is back. Kilmarnock’s on-loan forward Findlay Curtis has been handed his first call-up and there have also been recalls for Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway and Wrexham’s Don Hyam.

How Scotland combined the sublime and ridiculous to make World Cup history

Before we do anything else, let’s dive back into the remarkable night that saw Scotland grab qualification in dramatic circumstances in November. Jamie Braidwood took a look at a historic night...

Ah, lads. My guys. Scotland’s men have qualified for a first World Cup in 28 years, most of my lifetime, and all I can think is how, how have you done it in this way? In the history of Hampden Park, never before have there been the scenes that greeted Kenny McLean’s strike from the halfway line, or Kieran Tierney’s left-footed curler that sent a deprived nation through its most glorious night in a generation.

How indeed. Scotland, let’s be honest, deserved what came for them when Denmark’s Patrick Dorgu equalised for the 10-man visitors in the 81st minute. If you can’t see out such an advantage, then you don’t deserve a place at the World Cup – or so they said. Until Steve Clarke’s side ripped up the definition of glorious failure, reminding us all of the team that has now qualified for a third major international tournament, in itself an unprecedented return.

What is the Scotland team news?

Clarke will be without his No 1 goalkeeper in the 43-year-old Craig Gordon, who faces a race to be fit for the World Cup due to a shoulder injury. His Hearts team-mate, and a scorer in that 4-2 win over Denmark, striker Lawrence Shankland is also unavailable as he builds up his match fitness. Winger Ben Gannon-Doak is another who has only recently returned from injury and doesn’t make the squad, with right back Aaron Hickey also unavailable due to a hamstring injury.

Angus Gunn is likely to start in goal, despite not playing since Scotland’s win over Belarus in October, while Everton right-back Nathan Patterson is back. Kilmarnock’s on-loan forward Findlay Curtis has been handed his first call-up and there have also been recalls for Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway and Wrexham’s Don Hyam.

Chris Wilson28 March 2026 14:36