Scotland national football team results (unofficial matches)
From 1870 to the present day, the Scotland national football team have played various matches that are not accorded the status of official (FIFA) internationals by the governing body, the Scottish Football Association. These include early matches against England prior to the first-ever official international in 1872, wartime fixtures between 1914–1919 and 1939–1946 when official competitions were suspended, overseas tour matches played by a "Scotland XI" of varying strength and status, and others as specified. While some of the tour matches (involving players under consideration for the national team, some having already  been capped at full level) could be seen as similar in status to those played by the Scotland B team, they have not been recorded officially as such. List of Matches. 1870s–1910s. 1880. In 1880, a Scottish tour of Canada and The United States was suggested. Several preparatory matches were played, mostly against club sides and including a mini-tour of northern England, with the potential traveling squad referred to as the 'Scotch Canadians'. However, the tour itself never went ahead after the death of its main organiser, SFA secretary William Dick. Four matches are detailed below: World War I.  By the end of the first year of fighting during World War I, most official football tournaments were suspended (a notable exception was the Scottish Football League Division One). International matches took place very occasionally during the duration of the war itself (July 1914 to November 1918) with Scotland only playing two, both military benefit matches against England. Following the Allied victory, regular sports events began to return, and Scotland played in two Victory International matches against Ireland followed by two against England in Spring 1919. Established competitions and fully recognised international matches resumed in the 1919–20 season. 1915. A  fundraising match for the Belgian Refugee Relief Fund was played between an 'International XI' and an 'Edinburgh XI' in April 1915; the internationals included England's Joseph Hodkinson, Billy Meredith of Wales and William Crone who had played for the Irish League (Bobby Walker and Peter Nellies of Hearts also switched sides pre-match to cover for call-offs). 1920s–1940s. 1921 Tour of USA and Canada. A "Scotland XI" tour of Canada and the USA was organised by Glasgow club Third Lanark and the Dominion of Canada Football Association. Some local publications of the time listed the visitors as 'Third  Lanark', others as 'Scotland'. 1927 Tour of USA and Canada. A "Scotland XI" tour of North America was organised by the SFA in 1927. 1935 Tour of USA and Canada. A "Scotland XI" tour of North America was organised by the SFA in 1935. 1939 Tour of USA and Canada. A "Scotland XI" tour of North America was organised by the SFA in 1939. World War II. Official football tournaments were suspended soon after the outbreak of World War II in Autumn 1939. International matches took place occasionally during the duration of the war itself, with Scotland playing against England  15 times, a team representing the Republic of Ireland once, and various branches of the British armed forces who could call on strong squads of professional players called into service. In addition, there were six 'Army Internationals' nominally between Scotland and England, but with the players selected from members of the military stationed in each country regardless of their heritage (the 'Army in England' team won five of these, with one draw). When the conflict ended in May 1945 with an Allied victory, regular sports events began to return, and Scotland participated in, and won, the 1945–46 British Victory Home  Championship. Two further Victory International matches in 1946 against Belgium and Switzerland are considered to have full international status. All established competitions and fully recognised international matches resumed in the 1946–47 season, the outset of which included one further unofficial England v Scotland match to raise funds for those affected by the Burnden Park disaster earlier that year. British Victory Home Championship. 1949 Tour of USA and Canada. A "Scotland XI" tour of North America was organised by the SFA in 1949. 1950s–1970s. 1967 Tour. A "Scotland XI" tour of Israel, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Canada was organised  by the SFA in 1967. In October 2021, the SFA announced that some of the tour matches (against Australia, Canada and Israel) would be reclassified as full internationals. This meant that some players who had not otherwise played for Scotland were belatedly awarded international caps, including Alex Ferguson. 1980s–present. 1996. No caps were awarded to Scottish players who were on the field for the scheduled match against Estonia during 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification on 9 October 1996, when a scheduling dispute over floodlights led to Scotland turning up at an earlier time and kicking off against no opposition , while Estonia insisted on adhering to the original later time. All records for this fixture relate to the rearranged match played in Monaco on 11 February 1997.