By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-06-12 15:25:13 | Updated at 2026-06-13 15:51:05
1 day ago
We look ahead to Sunday’s Group C match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with our Haiti vs Scotland prediction and preview. After lengthy spells between tournaments for both nations, who will mark their World Cup return with a memorable victory in Massachusetts?
Haiti vs Scotland: The Key Insights
- The Opta supercomputer is expecting Scotland to pick up a victory in their first World Cup match since 1998, with Steve Clarke’s side beating Haiti in 59.0% of the pre-match simulations.
- Haiti conceded 14 goals across their three group games at the 1974 FIFA World Cup – that’s the second most at this stage of the tournament, after South Korea shipped 16 at the 1954 edition.
- Scotland have lost their last three opening matches at the World Cup and last kicked off a tournament with victory back in 1982, beating New Zealand 5–2 at La Rosadela in Malaga, Spain.
The Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts plays host to a match between two nations not seen at any other FIFA World Cup this century, as Haiti and Scotland face off in their Group C opener.
After a 52-year gap between tournaments – their only previous appearance coming in 1974 – Haiti are back on the biggest stage of all after topping their CONCACAF qualification group.
Those 52 years without a World Cup appearance for Haiti is the joint-fourth-longest stretch in the tournament’s history, after Wales (64 years between 1958 and 2022), Egypt (56 years between 1934 and 1990) and Norway (56 years between 1938 and 1994).
Haiti beat Nicuragua, World Cup regulars Costa Rica, and Honduras to top spot in Group C of the CONCACAF qualifiers, finishing two points clear of the latter despite a 3–0 loss in Tegucigalpa last October.
Forward Duckens Nazon led the way for Haiti with six goals – the joint most in the CONCACAF qualifiers – including a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute against Costa Rica.
Nazon also managed more shots (34) and touches inside the opposition’s box (59) than any other player across the CONCACAF qualifying campaign, and Haiti’s frontline has been bolstered further since they booked their place at the tournament.
Wilson Isidor‘s eligibility switch from France has been a success, with two goals in the Sunderland striker’s four appearances for Les Grenadiers since first being called up in March.
Isidor’s two strikes came in a 1–1 draw with Iceland and 2–1 defeat to Peru in March and June respectively, either side of Haiti’s impressive 4–0 win over New Zealand in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Despite that four-goal victory over a New Zealand side only beaten 1–0 by much-fancied England five days later, the goals have generally been flying in at both ends in Haiti’s recent matches.
Among sides who played 10 games in the CONCACAF qualifiers, only Bermuda (31) and Nicaragua (16) shipped more goals than Haiti’s 13, with Sébastien Migné’s side also conceding the third-highest expected goals (11.7).
However, Haiti will take encouragement from the fact Scotland are winless in their last nine World Cup encounters with teams from the Americas (L7). This run includes their only previous meeting with CONCACAF opposition – a 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica in 1990.
The Tartan Army are appearing at their first World Cup since 1998, ending a 28-year absence after topping a UEFA World Cup qualifying group for the first time since 1982.
Scotland will hope to perform better than they have in previous major international tournaments. They’ve featured at 12 different World Cup or European Championship finals, and on all 12 occasions they have failed to make it beyond the group stage.
That’s comfortably an all-time record, with only Iran and Tunisia (both six) having more than three group-stage participations without a single progression alongside the Scots. Of European nations, only Albania have featured in more than one group and never made it to the knockouts (two).
Steve Clarke has now steered Scotland to qualification for three of the last four major tournaments (Euro 2020, Euro 2024 and this World Cup), more than any other head coach in the national team’s 154-year history.
The Scots beat Denmark to top spot in Group C of the UEFA qualifiers courtesy of a seismic 4–2 victory on the final matchday at Hampden Park, which saw Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean score stoppage-time goals to seal it.
After Sweden, Scotland did have the second-lowest goal difference (+6; 13 scored, seven conceded) among all UEFA-qualified teams attending this World Cup, as well as the second-lowest xG difference (+0.8).
However, Clarke’s side have rediscovered their shooting boots in the lead up to the tournament, beating Curaçao and Bolivia 4–1 and 4–0 respectively in their two warm-up games.
Lawrence Shankland and Ché Adams netted a brace apiece in those friendlies, with talismanic Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay also getting on the scoresheet as part of a four-goal first-half blitz against Bolivia in New Jersey.
Since the start of 2023, McTominay has scored 13 goals for Scotland in competitive matches, at least eight more than anyone else.
McTominay was involved in more goals than any other Scotland player in qualifying for this World Cup (two goals, one assist), and was one of just three players to start in all six matches, alongside John McGinn and captain Andy Robertson.
Haiti vs Scotland Head-to-Head
The expanded 48-team World Cup features four first-time qualifiers and a number of contests between nations meeting for the very first time, and this Group C clash will be one of the latter.
Haiti and Scotland have never met in either a competitive or friendly fixture, with this being the Carribbean side’s first ever match against a team from the British Isles.
Scotland’s only previous encounters with CONCACAF nations have come against Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and Curaçao, beating the latter 4–1 in that pre-tournament friendly at Hampden Park last month.
Haiti vs Scotland Prediction
The Opta supercomputer sees Scotland as the overwhelming favourites to win their opener, with 59.0% of the 25,000 pre-match simulations ending in victory for the Tartan Army.
Haiti’s chances of winning stand at a not-insurmountable 19.2%, although that’s the least likely result of the pre-match predictions, with a 21.8% likelihood of the game ending level.
Haiti vs Scotland Squads
Haiti: Johny Placide, Alexandre Pierre, Josué Duverger, Carlens Arcus, Keeto Thermoncy, Ricardo Adé, Hannes Delcroix, Martin Expérience, Duke Lacroix, Jean-Kévin Duverne, Wilguens Paugain, Carl Sainté, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Leverton Pierre, Danley Jean Jacques, Dominique Simon, Woodensky Pierre, Derrick Etienne, Duckens Nazon, Louicius Deedson, Ruben Providence, Lenny Joseph, Wilson Isidor, Yassin Fortuné, Frantzdy Pierrot, Josué Casimir.
Scotland: Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly, Craig Gordon, Aaron Hickey, Andy Robertson, Grant Hanley, Kieran Tierney, Jack Hendry, John Souttar, Dominic Hyam, Nathan Patterson, Anthony Ralston, Scott McKenna, Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Tyler Fletcher, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Kenny McLean, Lyndon Dykes, Ché Adams, Ross Stewart, Ben Gannon-Doak, George Hirst, Lawrence Shankland, Findlay Curtis.
Haiti vs Scotland Predicted Lineups
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