Greece vs Scotland: Lineups, team news, confirmed starting teams in 2026 World Cup qualifying
Full teams from Greece vs Scotland
Scotland will seek the first of the two wins they are likely to need to reach the 2026 World Cup directly when Steve Clarke’s side play their penultimate game in Group C away to Greece on Saturday.
Denmark, who are in the automatic qualification spot in the group and have a six-goal superiority over Scotland, are heavy favourites to win at home to Belarus in their simultaneous fixture.
The top two then meet in a decider at Hampden Park on Tuesday, by which time Scotland will hope to have beaten a Greece side who started Saturday seven points behind them in third place.
101GreatGoals.com has the full teams and starting line-ups from the international between Slovakia and Northern Ireland in 2026 World Cup qualifying.
Table of Contents
Greece lineup vs Scotland
Greece are without West Ham centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos and Sporting forward Fotis Ioannidis, while PAOK midfielder Christos Zafiris is suspended.
Australia-born former Hibernian midfielder Nectarios Triantis, who plays for Minnesota, has received his first call-up.
“I understand that, especially in midfield, there are not many options,” said manager Ivan Jovanovic.
“That is one of the reasons for Triantis being called up, although it is not only that. Based on how we see the future of the national team, it is an area where we need to expand [our options].”
Greece starting XI: Vlachodimos, Vagiannidis, Retsos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas, Kourbelis, Mouzakitis, Karetsas, Bakasetas, Tzolis, Pavlidis.
Greece substitutes: Tzolakis, Mandas, Michailidis, Masouras, Kostoulas, Rota, Triantis, Hatzidiakos, Tetteh, Mantalos, Siopis.
Scotland lineup vs Greece
First-choice Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn is injured, so Scott Bain has returned to the squad for the first time since March 2019.
Midfielders Billy Gilmour and Lennon Miller are out, although Gilmour could be back in contention to face Denmark.
Defender Aaron Hickey, winger Ben Gannon-Doak and forward Che Adams are a booking away from a one-game suspension, which would rule them out of the game against Denmark.
Defender or midfielder Ross McCrorie withdrew from the squad at the start of the week. Andy Irving and Connor Barron have received late call-ups.
“If you asked us at the start of the campaign whether we would like to be in this position, the majority of us – and the majority of the country – would say yes,” vice-captain John McGinn told the Scottish FA.
“We’ve given ourselves a chance to qualify directly and we’re going to give it absolutely everything to do that.”
Scotland starting XI: Gordon, Hickey, Hanley, Souttar, Robertson, Ferguson, Christie, McGinn, McTominay, Gannon-Doak, Adams.
Scotland substitutes: Kelly, Bain, Tierney, Irving, Dykes, Hendry, Barron, McKenna, Hirst, Shankland, Ralston, McLean.
How to watch Greece vs Scotland: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Saturday is at 19:45 GMT (14:45 ET / 11:45 PT), with live coverage in the UK on BBC Scotland, Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
2026 World Cup playoffs dates
The top team from each of the 12 European Qualifier groups proceeds automatically to the finals, which will be expanded to 48 teams.
The 12 runners-up in each group will join four Nations League teams in the two-legged play-off ties, which will be drawn from pots based on teams’ records during the campaign and take place on March 26 and 31 2026.
When is the draw for the 2026 World Cup finals?
The draw for the World Cup finals will take place on December 5 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, with the ceremony starting at 17:00 GMT (12:00 ET/ 09:00 PT).
The tournament runs from June 11 until July 19 2026.