On Sunday, October 12, Scotland can take another decisive step toward qualifying for next June’s World Cup, hosting Belarus in Glasgow — the bottom team in Group C with zero points. After the first three matchdays, the hosts are engaged in a thrilling head-to-head with Denmark for the top spot and direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Tartan Army currently has the same number of points as the Danes (7) but trails on goal difference. For that reason, in addition to winning, they’ll need to do so with a good margin. Steve Clarke’s men have a clear objective: secure all three points to keep Greece (third with 3 points) at a safe distance, while hoping Denmark slips up to take sole leadership of the group. For Belarus, on the other hand, the only realistic goal is to finally put some points on the board in this qualification campaign — though, judging by their recent performances, that mission looks anything but easy.

Scotland's Form and key stats

Scotland heads into this crucial clash in great form, having lost only one of their last eight matches across all competitions. In their most recent outing, played on October 9, the Scots defeated Greece 3-1 at home, overturning an early deficit thanks to goals from Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, and Lyndon Dykes.

Steve Clarke’s side has so far collected 7 points in Group C from 2 wins and 1 draw, averaging 1.67 goals scored and 0.33 conceded per game. Scotland’s main strength is their defense, which has kept clean sheets in two of the three matches played so far, against Denmark and Belarus.

Their home record is also encouraging: in World Cup Qualifiers, Scotland has won five of their last six matches on home soil, confirming their solidity in front of their fans. Across all competitions, their last five away games have yielded 2 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw — showing some inconsistency on the road.

Belarus' Form and key stats

It’s a very tough moment for Belarus, who have gone seven consecutive matches without a win — four losses and three draws. In their last game, on October 9, Carlos Ferrer’s team suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to Denmark, a match that was already decided by halftime with Belarus trailing by four goals.

The Belarusians sit at the bottom of Group C with zero points, having lost all three matches so far, with an average of 0.33 goals scored and 4.33 conceded per game. They haven’t found the back of the net in their last two matches, while conceding at least two goals in each fixture of this qualifying campaign.

Their away record is equally poor: Ferrer’s team hasn’t won any of their last three away games, collecting two defeats and one draw, with an average of 0.67 goals scored and 2.67 conceded per game. These numbers highlight Belarus’s major struggles both offensively and defensively, especially when playing away from home.

Scotland vs Belarus Prediction by BetMines

Considering the performance of both teams in Group C, BetMines’ prediction clearly favors Scotland, with a 51% probability for a home win compared to 24% for Belarus.

Steve Clarke’s men have already proven their superiority in the previous head-to-head on September 8, winning 2-0 away thanks to a goal from Che Adams and an own goal by Volkov.

BetMines also expects a tight match with few goals and limited excitement: the Under 2.5 goals outcome and the “both teams NOT to score” option are both estimated at 52% probability.

Supporting this prediction is the head-to-head record — four of the last five encounters between Scotland and Belarus have ended with only one team scoring and under two total goals.

Probable lineups Scotland vs Belarus

SCOTLAND (4-3-3): Gunn; Hickey, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson; McTominay, Gilmour, McGinn; Doak, Adams, Dykes. Coach: S. Clarke.

BELARUS (4-4-2): Lapoukhov; Pigas, Parkhomenko, Zebelin, Pechenin; Korzun, Kapilevich, Kalinin, Ebong; Barkoskiy, Melnichenko. Coach: C. A. Ferrer.