After 28 years of waiting, Scotland will finally step onto football's biggest stage on Sunday morning – but fans must set alarms for 2am to witness the moment.
Steve Clarke's side face Haiti at Boston Stadium, also known as Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in their first World Cup match since 1998. The Tartan Army have descended on the state-of-the-art venue, thousands of travelling supporters eager to see their nation compete once again.
“Scotland face Haiti on 14 June in first World Cup match since 1998, kick-off 2am on BBC One.”
BBC One will broadcast the match live, with coverage beginning at 1:10am to allow 50 minutes of build-up. For those unable to watch, BBC Radio 5 Live will provide live commentary, while the BBC iPlayer app offers a free stream for licence fee payers. American viewers can tune in on Fox Sports or stream via the Fox Sports app, with Spanish-language coverage on TUDN.
Clarke faces selection dilemmas despite a mostly settled squad. Scott McTominay is fit to start in midfield, but his Napoli teammate Billy Gilmour was a late withdrawal due to a knee injury. That leaves the Serie A star alongside options such as Lewis Ferguson, John McGinn and late call-up Tyler Fletcher.
Haiti enter as underdogs but boast attacking pace capable of punishing defences on the counter. Their squad is expected to rely heavily on the physical presence of forward Frantz… The Caribbean nation will look to exploit any rustiness from a Scottish side that has not played a World Cup match in nearly three decades.
Sunday's kick-off at 2am UK time (9pm local on Saturday) means a late night or early morning for fans back home. But after waiting since 1998, few will complain – the long exile is finally over.