Scotland fans in Beijing gear up for first World Cup appearance since 1998
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The poster for the Highland Games event in Beijing, China, June 6, 2026. (Photo: Courtesy of BritCham China)

Scotland prepare to face Haiti in their first World Cup match since 1998, and if the mood in Beijing is anything to go by the Tartan Army have not lost a beat.

Sports Scene anchor Mike Fox visited a local Highland Games, a raucous celebration of Scottish culture, to gauge the atmosphere among expatriates and fans abroad.

The absence of Scotland from the World Cup for the past 28 years has been felt by the tournament. Scottish supporters are famed for their vocal backing and knack for making a party of any away day. The Highland Games on display in Beijing echoed that optimism, with plenty of banter and belief about how Scotland might fare in North America.

Older fans were quick to draw parallels between the longevity of their traditions and Scotland's own long but intermittent World Cup history. Placed in a group with Haiti, Morocco and Brazil, Scotland will be looking to make up for lost time. The Tartan Army, wherever they find themselves, intend to make their voices heard.