Scotland Football Team Gears Up for World Cup Qualifying Campaign with New Broadcasting Deal

A New Era for Scottish Football Broadcasting

In a significant development for Scottish football fans, BBC Scotland has secured the rights to broadcast all Scotland national team matches through to the 2026 World Cup, following an agreement with UEFA in March 2025.

Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

The Scotland national team faces two crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in September 2025: an away fixture against Denmark on September 5th, followed by another away game against Belarus on September 8th.

Team Heritage and Status

The Scottish national football team, under the control of the Scottish Football Association, competes in three major professional tournaments: the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Nations League, and the UEFA European Championship. The team plays most of their home matches at Hampden Park and holds the distinction of being the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, with whom they played the first-ever international football match in 1872.

Recent Developments

The team has received recent recognition with Scott McTominay and Caroline Weir being named on the shortlists for the 2025 Ballon D’or awards, highlighting the growing strength of Scottish football. The move to BBC broadcasting marks a significant shift from previous arrangements where Scotland matches were regularly broadcast on subscription services, addressing long-standing concerns from the Scottish Government about making competitive internationals more accessible to viewers.

Looking Ahead

The Scottish Football Association maintains a prestigious roll of honour for players who have made more than 50 appearances for Scotland, with Kieran Tierney being the most recent addition to this elite group as of June 2025. This tradition continues to inspire current and future generations of Scottish footballers as they embark on their World Cup qualifying campaign.