The Tartan Army will need to adjust their sleep schedules next summer, as Scotland faces a series of late-night kick-off times during the World Cup. The draw for the group stage has placed Steve Clarke’s squad in Group C, alongside formidable opponents Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti.
The matches are set to take place in Boston and Miami, prompting a flurry of activity among supporters eager to secure travel arrangements and tickets.
With the stadium locations and kick-off times now confirmed, Scotland’s journey will commence against Haiti at Boston’s Gillette Stadium. However, fans back in the UK will need to stay up late, as the match is scheduled for a 2 am kick-off (June 14).
Next, Scotland will face Morocco, again at Gillette Stadium, on Friday, June 19. This match will kick off at 11 pm UK time (6 pm local time).
The final group stage match will see Scotland take on Brazil in Miami. This highly anticipated clash is also scheduled for an 11 pm UK time kick-off.
While thousands of Scottish fans are expected to travel to America to support their team, those watching from home will have to contend with the prospect of late nights. This contrasts with the situation for England supporters, whose team, under Thomas Tuchel, has been assigned more UK-friendly kick-off times of 9 pm and 10 pm for their three group matches.
The Gillette Stadium in Boston is the home of the New England Patriots NFL team, while the Hard Rock Stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins. Scotland narrowly missed out on the opportunity to play Brazil in the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
England will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in the air-conditioned AT&T Stadium in Dallas. This match, a rematch of their 2018 semi-final, will kick off at 9 pm UK time on June 17 (3 pm local time in Texas) at the home of the Dallas Cowboys NFL team.
Their second match, against Ghana on June 23, is scheduled for a 4 pm kick-off in Boston, which translates to 9 pm in the UK. The final group game against Panama at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will kick off at 5 pm local time (10 pm in the UK) on June 27.
The World Cup final is set for a 3 pm kick-off at the MetLife Stadium, which will be 8 pm in the UK, on July 19.
Following the draw, Scotland’s manager Steve Clarke revealed his intention to remain in the United States to scout potential training locations for his squad.
“I’ll probably stay out here for another six or seven days to look at one or two hotels and training camps and maybe somewhere we can base ourselves for the tournament,” he said.
“So there’s quite a bit of work to be done before Christmas. After Christmas we’ll be tidying up friendlies and preparations into next year. There’s lots to do and lots to look forward to.”
The Republic of Ireland already knew their match venues, having been drawn in Group A against co-hosts Mexico, and now know their potential kick-off times too – 3 am, 5 pm and 7 pm, pending qualification via the play-offs.
Wales and Northern Ireland are among the four play-off teams vying for a spot in Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar. All of their matches, should they qualify, would kick off at 8 pm BST.
Here’s a summary of Scotland’s group stage schedule:
Match 1: vs. Haiti
- Venue: Gillette Stadium, Boston
- Kick-off Time: 2 am UK time (June 14)
Match 2: vs. Morocco
- Venue: Gillette Stadium, Boston
- Kick-off Time: 11 pm UK time (June 19)
Match 3: vs. Brazil
- Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- Kick-off Time: 11 pm UK time
And here’s a summary of England’s group stage schedule:
Match 1: vs. Croatia
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Dallas
- Kick-off Time: 9 pm UK time (June 17)
Match 2: vs. Ghana
- Venue: Gillette Stadium, Boston
- Kick-off Time: 9 pm UK time (June 23)
Match 3: vs. Panama
- Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Kick-off Time: 10 pm UK time (June 27)
