Scotland get their World Cup preparations underway on Saturday as they take on Japan at Hampden Park in an international friendly. The game kicks-off at 5:00pm and below you can find our match preview and best bets for the occasion.
Best Bets & Predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan to Win | 11/20 @ Ladbrokes (47.6%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Japan ended 2025 in strong fashion, beating Brazil 3-2 and following that up with comfortable wins over Ghana and Bolivia. With a talented and exciting squad, Japan will provide a serious test for Scotland. It may not come as a surprise if they fall short here, but it would highlight the level required heading into a challenging summer. |
| Correct Score: Japan 1-0 | 7/1 @ Betway (12.5%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Scotland have failed to keep a clean-sheet in each of their last five home fixtures, and we like the look of Japan edging out a typically low-scoring affair for a friendly. |
How both teams head into Scotland vs Japan
Scotland produced a strong 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing top of their group to secure automatic qualification. They picked up 13 points from six matches, winning four, drawing one and losing one, while scoring 13 goals and conceding seven.
Key results included a 3-1 win over Greece and a decisive 4-2 victory against Denmark at Hampden Park, which sealed top spot. It marked Scotland’s first World Cup qualification since 1998, capping off a consistent campaign built on solid home form and crucial wins
Japan produced a dominant 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, sealing their place at the finals with ease. They won seven of their 10 matches, drawing two and losing just once, finishing top of their group with 23 points, scoring 30 goals and conceding only three for an impressive +27 goal difference.
Their form was consistently strong, highlighted by emphatic victories such as 7-0 against China, 5-0 over Syria and 6-0 against Indonesia, underlining their attacking strength. Japan also remained defensively solid, keeping multiple clean sheets and rarely being troubled. A key moment came with a 2-0 win over Bahrain, which confirmed qualification and made them the first non-host nation to secure a place at the tournament.
Scotland team news
There is a first senior call up for winger Findlay Curtis, while key players such as John McGinn and Scott McTominay are included after recent returns to action. Midfielders Billy Gilmour and Lennon Miller also come back into the squad after injury.
There are some absentees, with Aaron Hickey ruled out and Ben Doak and Lawrence Shankland still recovering, while Che Adams has been a doubt due to injury. Overall, Clarke has largely kept faith with his core group but is using the fixture to assess a few new and returning options.
Japan team news
Japan’s preparations for their friendly against Scotland on 28 March 2026 include a strong squad missing defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has been ruled out with injury. Tomiyasu was expected to feature as part of Japan’s build‑up to the World Cup but will now sit out both the Scotland and England friendlies due to fitness issues.
Celtic forward Daizen Maeda is in Japan’s squad and has been spotted training ahead of the trip to Hampden Park, joining other senior internationals as coach Hajime Moriyasu looks to fine‑tune his side. This friendly offers Japan a chance to assess their attacking options and match sharpness before they begin World Cup Group F action against the Netherlands and Tunisia in June.
Head-to-Head
Scotland and Japan have only ever met on three occasions, with the most recent of those being a friendly in 2009 that was played in Yokohama. Japan came out 2-0 winners that day with Keisuke Honda scoring the second goal of the game.
Conclusion
Scotland have now reached the last three major tournaments, but they face a Japan side who have seen off Brazil, Ghana, and Bolivia in friendlies over the last six months. Back the visitors to get the win at 11/10, or take the 7/1 on offer for a 1-0 win in the correct score market.