Haiti vs. Scotland-World Cup: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
Haiti and Scotland make their long-awaited returns to the World Cup stage on Saturday when they collide in their Group C opener at the Gillette Stadium.
Scotland has been eagerly awaiting its World Cup comeback following a 28-year absence and will hope to make a greater impact at this summer's tournament than it achieved at Euro 2024, crashing out at the group stage with just a single point.
Victory against Haiti is absolutely vital to progression for Steve Clarke's side, who knows extremely challenging fixtures against Morocco and record world champions Brazil await. Anything but three points would be considered a mighty embarrassment.
Haiti's presence at the World Cup is surprising enough, the nation's first appearance since its only previous campaign in 1974. Benefitting from the tournament's expansion and co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the USMNT missing Concacaf qualifying, the minnows will be eager to upset the party.
Haiti vs. Scotland Score Prediction
Scotland Make Winning Return
The Tartan Army greet every Scotland match with the country's trademark pessimism, especially after frequent historic heartbreaks, but they should be celebrating wildly come the full-time whistle at Gillette Stadium.
Scotland is the significant favorite against a Haiti side sat 41 places below it in FIFA's rankings, and has more than enough firepower to dispatch its Caribbean foes.
Defense could be an issue for Scotland without many elite options at the back or in between the posts, but quality in midfield and the goalscoring form of Lawrence Shankland offer hope of a relatively routine win.
Haiti will be desperate to shock the world ahead of what appears inevitable defeats to Morocco and Brazil, but it lacks the knowhow or quality to make a noticeable mark at this summer's tournament.
- Scotland form: While not facing the most testing opposition in its pre-tournament friendlies, Scotland fired four past Curaçao and Bolivia to raise morale. The aforementioned Shankland scored three across the games, and Che Adams also supplied a brace, boosting confidence in the final third.
- Midfield quality: Scott McTominay is obviously the star of the show for Scotland, but John McGinnn, Ryan Christie and Lewis Ferguson offer depth and quality elsewhere in the engine room. The center of the field may be where Scotland hammers home its advantage.
- Haitian inexperience: Les Grenadiers have rarely tested themselves against top-quality opposition over recent years and should struggle to raise their standards. Defeats to the USMNT, Honduras, Tunisia and Peru over the past year hint at an arduous World Cup campaign in a difficult group.
Prediction: Haiti 0–2 Scotland
Haiti Predicted Lineup vs. Scotland
38-year-old captain Johny Placide will have to be on his toes in the Haiti goal this summer, as will a back four which contains former Burnley defender Hannes Delcroix.
Wolverhampton Wanderers's Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will partner Philadelphia Union's Danley Jean Jacques in the midfield, with Dallas winger Louicius Deedson offering some speed on the right-hand side.
Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor is the main focal point up top, but Scotland can't afford to ignore Frantzdy Pierrot, who has 34 goals in 51 Haiti caps.
Haiti predicted lineup vs. Scotland (4-4-2): Placide; Arcus, Adé, Delcroix, Expérience; Deedson, Bellegarde, Jacques, Providence; Isidor, Pierrot.
Scotland Predicted Lineup vs. Haiti
Scotland had been left sweating over McTominay, who missed Thursday's training session with an upset stomach. However, the Napoli star returned to the camp on Friday and will feature alongside Bologna's Ferguson in the midfield.
Adams, who also plays in Italy with Torino, will partner in-form Shankland up top, while McGinn's industriousness on the left-hand side should be offset by the blistering speed of Ben Gannon-Doak on the opposite wing.
A center back partnership of Grant Hanley and John Souttar in front of goalkeeper Angus Gunn is hardly inspiring, but Aaron Hickey and captain Andy Robertson offer greater quality in the fullback department.
Billy Gilmour misses the tournament after suffering a heartbreaking injury in the warm-up win over Curaçao, while Scott McKenna is a doubt at the back with a knock.
Scotland predicted lineup vs. Haiti (4-4-2): Gunn; Hickey, Hanley, Souttar, Robertson; Gannon-Doak, McTominay, Ferguson, McGinn; Shankland, Adams.
Pick Your World Cup Starting XIs!
What Time Does Haiti vs. Scotland Kick Off?
- Location: Foxborough, Mass.
- Stadium: Gillette Stadium
- Date: Saturday, June 13
- Kick-off Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT / 2 a.m. BST (June 14)
- Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG)
How to Watch Haiti vs. Scotland on TV, Live Stream
| Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FOX One |
| Canada | TSN+, TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, CTV, RDS App, CTV App, Crave |
| Mexico | ViX Mexico |
| United Kingdom | BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Website |
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 7:58 PM.