Scotland supporters head back to pubs and fanzones for next World Cup game

Scotland supporters are preparing to head back to pubs and fanzones for the national team’s next World Cup match.

Steve Clarke’s men will take on Morocco on Friday for the second group stage game, with kick off at 11pm UK time.

While thousand of fans have travelled to the US for the game, the excitement is also at fever pitch back in Scotland, with venues expected to be packed out for the kick off.

The Scots are at the World Cup finals for the first time in 28 years and began their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Haiti at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on Saturday.

It is the last game the Scotland men’s team will play in Boston before heading to Miami to play against Brazil on June 24.

A win against Morocco will ensure Scotland makes it out of the group stage.

If Scotland manages to draw with Morocco, the team is all but guaranteed to secure qualification.

The national team has never qualified out of the group stage at a World Cup.

Morocco, ranked sixth in the world compared to Scotland’s 37th, are heavy favourites but Tartan Army fans are nonetheless dreaming of making history this year.

The late night kick offs for Scotland’s group stage games means that most councils around the country have chosen to allow extended licensing hours for pubs and other venues.

The Ovo Hydro arena in Glasgow will once again host Scotland’s largest fan zone, with doors opening at 7.30pm on Friday ahead of the Scotland v Morocco game.

There will be a programme of music, entertainment and punditry before fans watch the match on a 20-metre screen.

Thousands of Tartan Army members are expected to attend the Hydro during Scotland’s group stage fixtures.

Ahead of the Scotland v Haiti match, Dominic McKay, chief executive of the SEC, which includes the Hydro arena, said: “This summer will be a moment that lives beyond football and one of real national significance.

“The stage is now set for an unforgettable series of events where supporters can come together as the drama unfolds in the United States.”