Scotland and Wales are fighting for their World Cup 2026 dreams tonight, and the action has already delivered drama across Europe.

At Hampden Park, Scott McTominay produced a sensational overhead kick to give Scotland an early 1–0 lead over Denmark. The atmosphere inside the stadium erupted as the midfielder connected perfectly with Gannon-Doak’s cross, sending the home fans wild.

Moments later, Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon was called into action, making a brilliant save to deny Rasmus Højlund in a one-on-one situation. Although the flag eventually went up for offside, it was an early warning for Steve Clarke’s men.

In Cardiff, Wales started brightly in their decisive clash against North Macedonia. Early pressure from Brennan Johnson and David Brooks nearly resulted in the opening goal, with Brooks’ first-time volley shaving the crossbar.

Despite Wales controlling most of the possession, North Macedonia have shown confidence on the ball, moving it sharply and finding pockets of space between the lines.

What’s at Stake

Scotland will qualify automatically for the World Cup with a win over Denmark. Anything less sends them to the play-offs in March.

For Wales, the situation is more complicated. To secure automatic qualification, they must beat North Macedonia and hope bottom-placed Liechtenstein pull off a shock victory over Belgium. Otherwise, Wales are guaranteed a play-off spot thanks to their Nations League performance — but failure to win tonight could leave them unseeded and facing a tough away semi-final.

Lineups

Scotland Starting XI:
Gordon, Hickey, Robertson, McTominay, McGinn, Dykes, Christie, Souttar, McKenna, Gannon-Doak, Ferguson

Denmark Starting XI:
Schmeichel, Kristensen, Andersen, Christensen, Dorgu, Hjulmand, Hojbjerg, Isaksen, Froholdt, Damsgaard, Hojlund

Wales Starting XI:
Darlow, Dasilva, Rodon, Lawlor, Williams, Sheehan, Wilson, James, Cullen, Brooks, Johnson

North Macedonia Starting XI:
Dimitrievski, Ilievski, Velkovski, Zajkov, Ashkovski, Kostadinov, Alimi, Bardhi, Stojchevski, Miovski, Elmas

Atmosphere and Build-Up

Hampden Park was rocking long before kick-off with a thunderous rendition of Flower of Scotland. Fans believe this could finally be the moment their nation ends a 27-year wait to return to the World Cup.

In Cardiff, Craig Bellamy urged his side to stay focused, praising their discipline and reminding them of North Macedonia’s defensive strength. With Harry Wilson captaining Wales for the first time, the home crowd is hopeful of a decisive performance.

As the night unfolds, both nations know what’s at stake: a ticket to North America or a nerve-wracking march into the play-offs.

Stay tuned for more updates as the World Cup qualifying drama continues.