\n<\/p>\n
While the squad selection is very much in the head coach’s hands, there are a few things outside his control causing a bit of a stir.<\/p>\n
Most notably, the dispute between Foxborough town chiefs – where the Gillette Stadium, which is due to host Scotland’s first two group games against Haiti and Morocco, is located – and those responsible for security funding over a reported, external<\/span><\/a> shortfall.<\/p>\n However, Massachusetts governor Maura Healey insisted , external<\/span><\/a>“the World Cup is going to happen”.<\/p>\n “It is going to be in Massachusetts,” she said. “It’s going to be great to have people come from all over the world and see our awesome state.”<\/p>\n Another state Scots will see is New Jersey. There’s just a little uncertainty over the opposition.<\/p>\n Although it was not officially announced, it was understood<\/a> Scotland’s final pre-tournament friendly was to be against Peru.<\/p>\n However, it appears, external<\/span><\/a> Spain will now play Peru, forcing the Scots to find another opponent for the fixture on 6 June.<\/p>\n Clarke expressed his desire to face a South American nation and Venezuela have been widely linked as the replacements.<\/p>\n There will also be a new face opposite Clarke for Scotland’s second match at the finals, in the form of Mohamed Ouahbi, after Morocco parted ways with head coach Walid Regragui<\/a> on Thursday.<\/p>\n The 50-year-old led them to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup – the first African side to reach that stage of the tournament – and to the final of this year’s Africa Cup of Nation, which was held in Morocco.<\/p>\n Senegal prevailed in a chaotic and controversial showpiece<\/a>, in what proved to be Regragui’s final game in charge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n