Getty Image / Andrew Milligan/PA Images
Scotland scored two goals in stoppage time against Denmark on Matchday 10 of World Cup Qualifying and booked a ticket to their first World Cup in the 21st century. It had been 27 years, since 1998, that Scotland last qualified for a World Cup.
It wasn’t just that Scotland qualified, it was the manner in which it all went down that made it one of the most spectacular and emotional moments throughout the entire 2026 World Cup qualification process.
Scotland Punches Ticket To World Cup With A Goal That Was Beyond Spectacular
Tied 2-2 against Denmark in Group C of the UEFA qualifiers, the match was drawing into extra time when Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean scored goals after the 90th minute. It was this goal in particular had the entire country of Scotland losing its mind.
Kieran launched the ball from the midfield line as the goal was playing far too up near the action. The stadium erupted into roaring cheers. Every pub in the country went wild. It was a beautiful moment for every Scottish supporter and sports fan alike.
@footyballers247 Scotland’s goal from the halfway line to send them to World Cup 2026 is pure cinema in the last game against Denmark at Hampden Park #scotland #worldcup #limbs #wordlie #footballtiktok
♬ My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from “Titanic”) – Céline Dion
Scotland qualified for the World Cup every 4 years from 1974-1990. In total, they have qualified for 9 World Cups but this is their first since 1998.
‘He’s Gonna Shoot’
What a call from the announcer here. Predicting that he was about to boot the ball from midfield is wild. You never see shots from this distance at the top tier levels unless they’re just to dump the ball to kill time.
@greg13566 He’s gonna shoot!!! Scotland dramatically qualifies for World Cup finals for the first time in almost 30 years with unbelievable goals in the dying minutes it their game against Denmark! i#Scotland #denmark #scottishfootball #celtic #worldcup
And not for nothing, the goalie he scored on is none other than Kasper Schmeichel. He won the Premier League title with Leicester City in 2016 and the FA Cup in 2021. This is an extremely accomplished keeper, not some peanut farmer. And the stakes could not have been higher.
Following the historic win, Scotland captain Andy Robertson discussed how he felt the late great Dioga Jota was smiling over him from Heaven on this special night.
“I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out my head today. He missed out in Qatar because of injury. I missed out because Scotland never went. We always discussed what it would be like going to this World Cup. I know he’ll be somewhere smiling over me tonight.”
– Andy Robertson pic.twitter.com/MC1GrYf2yI
— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen9) November 18, 2025
Meanwhile on the streets of Edinburgh, The Tartan Army (Scottish supporters) were in PEAK form. Interviews with fans on the street captured the emotions running wild.
@.whiskytangofoxtr It has been 27 years since Scotland last qualified for a FIFA World Cup, with their most recent appearance being in 1998. This absence has led to a 28-year period of being absent from the tournament, after winning against Denmark they now qualify for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. #worldcup2026 #tartanarmy #scottishfans #scottishfootball
What Happens Next?
After Match Day 10 of the UEFA World Cup Qualifying, these 12 (of 16) teams from Europe are qualified for the 2026 World Cup in North America: England, France, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, and Belgium.
As hosts, the United States, Canada, and Mexico are also qualified. Elsewhere, these countries have qualified: Panama, Curaçao, Haiti, Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and New Zealand.
From here, there will be playoffs rounds of qualification. The winner of New Caledonia vs. Jamaica will face the Democratic Republic of Congo. The winner of Bolivia vs. Suriname will face Iraq. And there are multiple playoffs taking place in the European bracket. Teams in that playoff include (but not limited to) Italy, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, and others.
The 2026 World Cup Draw will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with President Trump expected to be in attendance. It is at that point that fans like myself will find out which matches we actually have tickets to… So much waiting! Anyway, congratulations to Scotland. I’m all in on the Scots. My DNA is like 70% Scottish and they’re such a fun team to root for.