Why are Scotland playing Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium? | OneFootball

Scotland step up their preparations for this summer’s World Cup by hosting Ivory Coast - but the international friendly will be staged in England and at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

Steve Clarke’s team faced Japan at Hampden on Saturday but the Tartan Army will be heading down the road and away from their traditional home on Tuesday night as Everton’s new ground hosts its first men’s international fixture.

Officially, the fixture is part of marketing agency Pitch International’s ‘Road to 26’ series - which has featured a number of games between teams who have qualified for the World Cup, staged at neutral venues.

The majority of the ‘Road to 26’ series has been played in the United States, such as the friendlies between France and Brazil in Boston, France and Colombia in Maryland, and Brazil and Croatia in Orlando, Florida.

Scotland’s match against Ivory Coast also falls under the series, but with the three-time African champion facing South Korea in Milton Keynes on Saturday and Scotland playing Japan in Glasgow, holding the match in Liverpool suited both parties.

Scotland will play Morocco during the group stages of the World Cup while Ivory Coast will face Germany, so arranging a warm-up test against African and European opposition also suited both nations ahead of the tournament.

The match works for Everton, too, with the £800m, 52,769-capacity venue set to host matches when the home nations stage Euro 2028. England’s Lionesses will also be playing a World Cup qualifier there, against Ukraine in June.

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The Hill Dickinson Stadium was opened at the start of this season (Getty Images)

David Moyes, Everton’s manager, said he was looking forward to welcoming the Tartan Army and the Ivory Coast. “No doubt that night will see Liverpool full of lots of kilted men and I hope you make them all welcome,” the Scot said in a message to Everton supporters.

Scotland’s Nathan Patterson plays for Everton, with the right back following a long line of Scots who played for the Toffees - such as Graeme Sharp, Duncan Ferguson, David Weir, Andy Gray, James McFadden, Pat Nevin and Steven Naismith.

Everton have also said that culinary delights from both nations will be served, confirming a slow-cooked “Ivorian beef stew” will be on the menu along with “Stornoway black pudding loaded jacket potatoes”, “haggis and smoked bacon pizza” and “battered Mars bar with whisky custard”.

Scotland last played in Liverpool when Wales decided to hold a key 1978 World Cup qualifier against the Tartan Army at Anfield, but goals from Don Masson and Kenny Dalglish earned the ‘away’ side victory that secured passage to the touranment in Argentina.