World Cup 2026: Why Donald Trump will be desperate to join Tartan Army's massive party

Forty years ago, Freuchie Cricket Club in Fife reached the final of the National Village Cup. It was such a momentous achievement that virtually all of Freuchie’s 2,000-strong population travelled to Lords in London to watch their neighbours defeat Rowledge of Surrey and become the first Scottish club to lift the trophy.

Following Scotland’s thrilling, nail-biting, stunning, heart-stopping, beautiful and abso-bleeding-lutely tremendous win over Denmark – who we should probably admit played rather well and were unlucky to have a player sent off – something similar may occur, but on a much bigger scale, when the Tartan Army travels to the USA, Canada and/or Mexico for next year’s World Cup finals.

About 200,000 fans travelled to Germany for last year’s Euros. Germany is obviously much closer to Scotland and the cost of travelling to North America could put some people off, but there is one massive reason why the numbers should be even greater.

READ MORE: Scotland's World Cup draw: the dream opponents, group of death and last-32 chance

Scotland fans attending the Euro championships last year were a big hit with their German hosts and the Tartan Army may have an even bigger impact at next year's World Cup (Picture: Ozan Kose) | AFP via Getty Images

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

In the years of failure to qualify since 1998, people like me started to wonder if they would ever again see a Scotland team play at the highest level – and this could be a once-in-a-life opportunity to do so.

Furthermore, the Tartan Army’s ranks will be swelled considerably by some of the millions of Americans and Canadians with Scottish ancestry.

That first piper-led parade to Scotland’s opening game is going to be huge. Fans who are unable to get tickets for the games will still want to be there just to experience what will be a truly extraordinary atmosphere.

In Germany, Scotland fans were a massive hit with the locals, whose attitude was summed up by a postcard sent to The Scotsman by a German woman called Dagi.

She asked us to pass on this lovely message to the Tartan Army: “Dear Scotsmen and women, your football team may not have won the match on Friday [against Germany], but your fans have certainly won our hearts – spreading good mood all over the place. Thanks, you are the best guests ever.” Many other Germans expressed similar sentiments.

A Scottish fan celebrates with a Moroccan supporter ahead of Scotland's last World Cup game in St Etienne, France, in 1998 (Picture: Chris Bacon) | PA

Visible from space

Joyful, cheeky, funny, gallus, colourful, friendly, peaceful, and, in all probability, a bit drunk, the Tartan Army – in numbers that may be visible from space – is going to make a real impact on their hosts.

There is also no question that the world’s most powerful man, the half-Scottish US President Donald Trump, will be paying attention. One of this deeply flawed individual’s idiosyncrasies is an obsession with the size of crowds (his always being bigger than anyone else’s, despite what photographic evidence may suggest).

It could well be that ‘the Donald’ will want to join in Scotland’s party. But would he be welcome? Well, that rather depends. Is he really a friend of Scotland? Would a true friend impose a ten per cent tariff on our national drink? The whisky industry says Trump’s policy is costing businesses a staggering £4 million every week.

In such circumstances, how could he reasonably expect to raise a glass (of soda pop) with Scotland fans celebrating our now inevitable 4-0 win over Brazil in the final at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey? (Only joking! It’ll be 5-0...)