Scotland Confirm Final World Cup Warm-Up Match Against Bolivia

Scotland’s national team has finalized their pre-World Cup schedule, announcing a friendly against Bolivia on Saturday, 6 June in New Jersey as their last preparation game before the tournament. The fixture will be streamed live on BBC, kicking off at 21:00 BST.

Bolivia’s World Cup Bid Ends in Defeat

Bolivia failed to secure a place in the World Cup after a 2-1 loss to Iraq in the inter-confederation play-off final last week in Guadalupe, Mexico. This marks the end of their qualification campaign in the Americas.

Scotland’s Previous Friendly Results

Manager Steve Clarke’s squad endured 1-0 defeats against Japan and Ivory Coast earlier this month. Despite these results, they remain focused on their upcoming World Cup opener against Haiti on 14 June in Massachusetts. Two additional matches are scheduled to refine their readiness: a game against Curacao at Hampden on 30 May and the Bolivia clash at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison.

Series Against Group C Opponents

The selection of Bolivia as a final warm-up opponent completes a series of friendlies against teams from the same federations as Scotland’s Group C rivals—Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti. This provides the Scots with valuable insights into South American competition.

“Bolivia will offer a challenging test as they bounce back from their play-off disappointment,” Clarke remarked. “It’s a great opportunity to gauge our performance against teams we’ll face in the tournament.”

Bolivia’s Ranking and Squad

Bolivia currently ranks 76th globally, trailing Brazil by 70 positions and Scotland by 33. Their qualifying group in South America saw them finish seventh, just two spots behind Brazil. Notably, they defeated Brazil 1-0 at altitude in September, securing a spot in the intercontinental play-offs. However, a 2-1 loss to Iraq in the semi-final dashed their hopes for a return to the World Cup since 1994.

Twelve of Bolivia’s 28-player squad play domestically, with three based in Europe and the remaining athletes spread across North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East.