Scotland begin coaching search hours after Clarke resigns following World Cup exit

Steve Clarke has resigned as Scotland head coach following the country’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, with SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell revealing that prospective replacements had already made contact within hours of the departure being confirmed.

Scotland’s campaign ended after they collected just three points from a possible nine in Group C, finishing behind Brazil and Morocco with a goal difference of minus three — not enough to claim one of the eight spots reserved for the best third-placed teams advancing to the last 32. Clarke’s exit was confirmed shortly after Croatia’s 2-1 win over Ghana on Saturday sealed Scotland’s fate.

Speaking from the squad’s hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, as players began to leave, Maxwell described the mood as “raw” and acknowledged the sadness surrounding Clarke’s departure. He wasted little time in signalling that the search for a successor was already live.

“I wakened this morning to a few messages from people who are interested in the job,” Maxwell said. “We are a really attractive job for the right manager, right head coach. We have a Euros that we are hosting in 2028 to look forward to, there has been a lot of success over the last few years and we need to appoint someone who can improve on that and continue to drive us forward.”

Maxwell set no firm timeline for the appointment but acknowledged the urgency, with Nations League fixtures scheduled for a four-game window at the end of September. “It will be as soon as we can but as long as we get the right coach,” he said.

A foreign appointment has not been ruled out. “Nothing is off the table,” Maxwell added. “We need to cast the net as wide as we can. It is about getting the right coach, it is not about necessarily where they come from.”

On Clarke’s decision itself, Maxwell confirmed the former manager’s mind was already made up after the defeat to Brazil. “We spoke after the Brazil game, everyone was very down. That was the lowest from a Scotland perspective that anyone has felt for a long, long time,” he said. “I spoke to him yesterday and he made up his mind that he wanted to step down and that’s ultimately his decision. I can understand why — I think there has been some fairly hysterical commentary back home, which hasn’t helped, but ultimately it is up to Steve.”