The Haiti and Scotland teams are preparing for their inaugural clash at the 2026 World Cup, with the clash scheduled for this Saturday (weekday), at 10pm (Brasília time). The match will take place at Gillette Stadium, in Boston, United States, and represents the opening of Group C of the tournament, which also includes teams from Brazil and Morocco.
The Haiti team won its place in the 2026 World Cup through a remarkable campaign in the Concacaf Qualifiers, guaranteeing a return to the global football championship for the first time since 1974. The journey was marked by significant overcomings, such as the need to deal with the country’s internal political instability and carrying out most of its qualifying commitments on foreign territory, highlighting the team’s remarkable resilience in the face of complex adversities.
On the other hand, Scotland secured its participation in the World Cup after leading its group in the UEFA Qualifiers, leaving countries like Denmark, Greece and Belarus behind. This classification ends a long absence of 28 years without appearing in the World Cup. In the last test before the debut, the Scottish team demonstrated offensive power by beating Bolivia 4-0.
How to follow the match broadcast
- Real-time monitoring: The main plays and updates can be followed on ge.
- Live broadcast: The CazéTV channel is responsible for showing the confrontation.
Overview of likely formations on the field
During much of his work, coach Sébastien Migné faced the challenge of managing the Haitian national team without being able to visit Haiti, due to the persistent security crisis in the country. The final phase of the team’s preparation was completed in the United States, with the strategy focused on the experience of leaders such as goalkeeper Johny Placide, defender Ricardo Adé and striker Duckens Nazon.
In the preparatory friendlies, Haiti recorded an impressive 4-0 victory over New Zealand, but were beaten 2-1 by Peru. Last Thursday, the coach had to make a change to the squad due to the cut of midfielder Leverton Pierre, who suffered an injury to his right thigh, being replaced by Garven-Michée Metusala, an athlete from the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
The likely lineup for the Haiti team is:
- Goalkeeper: Johnny Placide
- Defenders: Carlens Arcus, Ricardo Adé, Delcroix (or JK Duverne) and Martin Expérience
- Midfield: Bellegarde, Jean Jacques, Deedson (or Casimir) and Ruben Providence
- Forwards: Frantzdy Pierrot (or Duckens Nazon) and Wilson Isidor
Scott McTominay, one of the main names in the Scottish national team, was away from some activities due to stomach discomfort, but trained normally this Friday and is cleared for the game. Coach Steve Clarke avoided putting any pressure on the Napoli midfielder, highlighting that he has “26 superstars” in his squad, and kept the starting line-up secret. Defender Scott McKenna, however, is confirmed to be absent due to a calf issue.
Scotland’s possible starting line-up includes:
- Goalkeeper: Gunn (or Gordon)
- Defenders: Hickey, Hanley, Hendry (or Souttar) and Robertson
- Midfield: Gannon-Doak, McTominay, Ferguson and Christie (or McGinn)
- Forwards: Shankland and Adams
Absence: Scott McKenna (muscle problem).
Composition of the arbitration team
The referee team designated for the match will be made up of:
- Main referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
- Assistant number 1: Mokrane Gourari (Algeria)
- Assistant number 2: Abbes Akram Zerhouni (Algeria)
- Video referee (VAR): Jose Enrique Naranjo (Spain)
