Scotland face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil this summer with eight third place teams progressing which means four third placed teams miss out
10:16, 30 Mar 2026Updated 10:18, 30 Mar 2026
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Tommy Conway, Scott McKenna and Jack Hendry of Scotland
World Cup legend Emmanuel Petit reckons third place will be eliminated in Scotland’s group this summer - and predicted a shoot-out between Steve Clarke’s men and Morocco for the runners-up spot behind Brazil in Group C.
Scotland face minnows Haiti in their opener in Boston on June 13 and a convincing victory could be enough to see them progress with the eight best third-placed teams going through to the round of 32 in the biggest ever World Cup.
But former Arsenal and Chelsea star Petit, a World Cup winner with France when Scotland last graced the global stage in 1998, isn’t so sure and believes the clash with Morocco, also at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, could determine who goes through.
The 55-year-old ex midfielder, who also played for Monaco and Barcelona, told BetGoat of Scotland’s chances: “It will be tough. I think only the top two will qualify. I think that will be decided between them and Morocco.
"Be careful of Morocco. They are a good team with good players. I think they did a great job with Walid Regragui, but he left as manager, so it's a new management.”
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Scotland’s final game will be against five-time champions Brazil in Miami which was the opening game of France 98 in Paris and Petit said: “Scotland vs Brazil, that reminds me of 1998, they have history.”
On who are favourites to be crowned champions in New York on July 19, he aded: “Spain, France, Portugal, because that would be the last tournament for Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina, Brazil, those teams are always there. Most of them are always in the last eight, the quarterfinals, or the semifinals.
“When you look since the World Cup competition was created, I can't remember how many countries have won it, but it's like a nuclear bomb, just a few of them.”