Scotland vs Belarus Prediction: The Tartan Army’s World Cup 2026 dream can get closer on Sunday

Scotland play their second World Cup 2026 qualifier at Hampden in three days when lining up against Belarus late on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is set for 17:00 and it'll be live on the BBC.

The head-to-head stats show the locals boast three wins against one draw and a defeat. Betfred’s Frank Monkhouse previews an important night for Steve Clarke’s men that could edge them closer to ‘We Are 26’ as we check out his Scotland vs Belarus Predictions...

*For all of our World Cup Odds and Betting Markets - please head on over to that section on betfred.com

It was far from pretty on Thursday evening in Glasgow, but Scotland scored a vital World Cup 2026 qualifying Group C win over Greece. The visitors dominated the first half and eventually got the goal their play deserved, taking the lead with 62 minutes on the clock. But it’s unwise to write off the Scots, especially on their patch with an expectant Tartan Army looking on.

They fired back to level the game less than two minutes later and won it with a couple of late goals. The 3-1 scoreline flattered Scotland, but few inside the stadium cared and it helped us win our 15/8 bet on the Tartan Army winning - as put up in our Scotland vs Greece Preview earlier in the week.

Belarus travel from Minsk to Glasgow, sitting at the bottom of a four-team group. They’ve played three and lost three so far, scoring one goal and conceding 13. Those stats will encourage all packed into the home end on Sunday.

Will the White Wings finally get off the mark, leaving with all three points and blowing the pool wide open? Betfred traders don’t expect an upset, and there won’t be too many bettors prepared to trust the away win.

Match Odds:

Greece can feel bitterly disappointed to have lost Thursday’s match. The visitors dominated the ball, finishing with 66.6% possession. They had 15 shots at goal, but managed only three on target, scoring one. Interestingly, Scotland also had just three shots on target that night, but found the net each time.

Steve Clarke's men certainly rode their luck, but that midweek win puts them in a strong position.

Scotland are currently second in the pool, behind current leaders Denmark on goal difference. Both teams followed an opening day draw with back-to-back wins, and you can back a third victory on the bounce at 1/8 with Betfred.

Belarus appear out of their depth in Group C and are fast-becoming the whipping boys of the division. Ranked 100th in the world by FIFA, Carlos Alos and co. have shown no signs of improvement this year.

They were thumped 5-1 by Greece in Athens, trailing 4-0 by the break. Following that, they stumbled to a 2-0 home defeat against Sunday’s opponents, before Denmark stuck the boot in with a 6-0 home defeat on Thursday.

It would be fair to say that they've shown nothing to suggest to bettors they’re capable of any better, explaining why the away win is as big as 20/1 at Betfred, and the draw at 7/1. Neither will be popular.

*You can get all the latest Scotland vs Belarus Odds plus all of our betting markets on the game over on betfred.com

Scotland to win both halves

As you can see from the odds above, there’s little joy to be had in the match-winner market here, unless you’re happy to risk your hard-earned stake on an upset.

Traders have seen enough of Belarus shipping goals and losing matches. They now have little to play for, and another painful night looks likely on Sunday from 17:00 BST. That means we must stray into the specials as we search for betting value, but I’m confident I’ve found a risk worth taking.

Scotland won both halves when leaving ZTE Arena with a 2-0 victory early last month. The victors took their time, but eventually snatched the lead thanks to a smart goal from Che Adams moments before the whistle.

An own-goal from Zakhar Volkov on 65 minutes tied things up, meaning Scotland were 1-0 ahead at half-time, and 2-0 up by full-time. Belarus trailed the Danes 4-0 at HT in midweek, leaking another couple of goals in the second 45.

With confidence high in the home dressing room, I’m expecting a fast start. Back Scotland to win both halves as a single or add to your weekend multiples.

Scott McTominey to score anytime

Our second pick from Mount Florida comes with better odds attached, as we back Scott McTominay to score. You can aim higher and trust the fans' favourite to break the deadlock, but we’re happy to use the safety net provided by the anytime scorer market.

With this approach, it doesn’t matter if Scott scores in the opening few minutes or with the last kick of the ball. As long as he gets a goal, you’ll land a handsome profit.

Focusing on McTominay’s form this season, the Napoli midfielder hasn’t scored since late August. The 28-year-old bagged one of his team’s two goals in an away win over Sassuolo in the Italian Serie A. He seems to reserve his scoring for Scotland and was on target against Poland, Portugal, and Greece last term.

The midfield dynamo will be fit and raring to get back on track in Glasgow. He’ll get plenty of the ball in a talented Scottish midfield, and the level of the opponent allows him to get forward more than he did against Greece.

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Frank Monkhouse Scottish Football P/L

25/26 Season:

• Points Placed: 57
• Points Returned: 35.45
• P/L: -21.55

24/25 Season:

• Points Placed: 257
• Points Returned: 252.25
• P/L: -4.75

Frank Monkhouse covers Scottish Football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his work along with that of the rest of our Football Betting Tips desk on our main Football page...