Scotland eliminated from World Cup group stage as Steve Clarke resigns

By Harry Sutton — 28 June 2026 — 3 min read

Scotland have been eliminated from the World Cup 2026 after failing to progress beyond the group stage, with manager Steve Clarke announcing his resignation. The confirmation came following Croatia’s 2-1 victory over Ghana, which meant Scotland could not secure a spot as one of the eight best third-placed teams to advance to the knockout phase.

Clarke, who had been in charge for seven years, stepped down shortly after the final whistle of the match that sealed Scotland’s fate. This marks another group-stage exit from a major tournament for the national side, which has participated in nine World Cups and four European Championships without ever moving past the initial phase.

Tournament Performance and Elimination

Scotland began their first World Cup appearance in 28 years with a 1-0 win against Haiti, the lowest-ranked team in their group. However, subsequent matches proved more challenging. A 1-0 defeat to Morocco was followed by a 3-0 loss to Brazil in Miami.

The defeat against Brazil left Scotland with three points and a goal difference of minus three, placing them third in Group C. Following this match, Clarke and some players acknowledged that progression to the last 32 was unlikely, leading to a period of waiting for results from other groups.

The team’s only goal of the tournament came from John McGinn’s deflected strike against Haiti, marking the country’s first World Cup win in 36 years. This initial victory was supported by thousands of travelling fans in the United States.

In their second match, Scotland lost to a second-minute goal from 2022 semi-finalists Morocco. Entering their final group game against Brazil, a draw was anticipated to be sufficient for them to advance as one of the best third-placed teams.

However, defensive errors in the first half proved costly against Brazil. Vinicius Jr. scored the opener after Scott McKenna lost possession in his own penalty area. Although a second goal from Vinicius Jr. was initially disallowed by VAR for a foul on Jack Hendry, he scored again just before half-time after Scotland gave the ball away near their own goal, making it 2-0.

Matheus Cunha extended Brazil’s lead after the break, and a late rally from Scotland failed to produce a goal that would have improved their goal difference. Results from other groups, including Ecuador’s comeback win against Germany, further diminished Scotland’s chances of progressing.

Clarke’s Departure and Legacy

Steve Clarke’s resignation was announced by the Scottish FA shortly after Croatia’s win confirmed Scotland’s exit. Players were informed of the decision while still at their training base in Charlotte.

In a letter to supporters, Clarke expressed his gratitude to his players, stating, “The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn’t have had any of the memories that we’ve accumulated from 2019 until now.” He added that it was an honour to be their Gaffer and wished his successor well.

Clarke took over as head coach seven years ago, during a period when Scotland had not reached a major finals since the World Cup in 1998. Under his leadership, the team qualified for two European Championships before securing their spot in this summer’s World Cup.

Despite these qualification successes, Scotland underperformed in all three tournaments, with the recent win against Haiti being their only victory across these finals. Clarke had been critical of the team’s performance after the Brazil defeat, stating, “We have to be better if we want to compete at this level.”

While Clarke’s position was reportedly secure, with a four-year contract signed before the World Cup, his departure marks the end of an era. Scotland will return to action in September, facing Slovenia and Switzerland in the Nations League.

Source: bbc.co.uk