McTominay declared fit to start as Scotland open World Cup campaign against Haiti

Scott McTominay will start Scotland’s 2026 World Cup Group C opener against Haiti at Boston Stadium in Foxborough after manager Steve Clarke confirmed the Napoli midfielder has made a full recovery from a stomach bug that kept him out of training earlier this week.

McTominay missed sessions due to illness, raising doubts over his availability for Scotland’s first World Cup fixture. Clarke moved to ease those concerns at his pre-match press conference, describing the 28-year-old as being in “perfect” condition after returning to training on Friday and confirming he would be “ready to go”.

The midfielder lines up alongside Aston Villa’s John McGinn in the heart of Scotland’s midfield. McTominay has scored 15 goals in 70 international appearances and will be looking to add to that record against Haiti, who enter the tournament as significant underdogs in the group.

Clarke’s only fitness concern heading into the match is the absence of centre-back Scott McKenna, who is nursing a calf problem. “He’s had an issue with his calf, he’s almost there and will probably train Monday,” Clarke said, suggesting McKenna could be available later in the group stage.

Scotland qualified for the 2026 World Cup — their first appearance at the tournament in the modern era — with McTominay playing a central role in the campaign. While Clarke has a squad of capable players around him, the Napoli man’s ability to contribute goals from midfield gives Scotland a dimension that few players at this level can replicate, and his presence in the starting XI will be a significant boost regardless of the opposition.