International football returns to Hampden Park as Scotland hosts Japan in what promises to be a competitive friendly. Steve Clarke’s side will be looking to use this fixture to build on their six-match unbeaten run, while Japan haven’t won in their last three, though they have a reputation as a technical squad with fluid attacking play. With both managers keen to strike the right balance between experimentation and stability, this clash offers plenty to watch.
Read More: World Cup Dreams on the Line: Breaking Down the 2026 FIFA Inter-Confederation Play-Offs
Scotland vs Japan Team News & Predicted Lineups
Date: Saturday 28th March 2026
Venue: Hampden Park
Kick off: 17:00 GMT
Last Meeting: Scotland 0 – 2 Japan (10th October 2009, International Friendly)
Current Odds: Scotland 9/4, Japan 6/5
Scotland Team News
Scotland will be missing winger Ben Gannon-Doak, but Scott McTominay and John McGinn return to the side after injury layoffs. After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, Scotland manager Steve Clarke had this to say during his pre-match press conference:
“The last time we qualified, I still had my playing boots on”
The Scots come into this game after winning eight of their last 12 matches and being unbeaten in the last six, but they are winless in their last 10 home games, an unwanted streak that dates back to 2016. A record that The Scots will be hoping to break during this international break.
Japan Team News
Japan will be without Takefusa Kubo, Takumi Minamino, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Manager Hajime Moriyasu has included Daizen Maeda but not his Celtic team-mate Reo Hatate. Japan were the first non-host nation to qualify for this summer’s World Cup, a full 15 months before the tournament begins. The Samurai Blue scored 51 goals in their 16 games in Asian qualifying, conceding just three as they smashed their way through qualification. Japan’s star man Kaoru Mitoma had this to say ahead of Saturday’s game:
“I think we’ve certainly made people take notice by becoming the fastest nation to qualify, but if we want to take that next step, there are still a lot of things we need to do”
Read More: Top Five Wolves Players To Represent England
Scotland Predicted Lineup
Gunn
Ralston
Souttar
Hanley
Robertson
Ferguson
Gilmour
McGinn
McTominay
Christie
Adams
Japan Predicted Lineup
Z. Suzuki
Watanabe
J. Suzuki
Taniguchi
Doan
Sano
Kamada
Nakamura
Ito
Mitoma
Ueda
Featured Image Credit:
IMAGO / PA Images
