Tartan Army Invades Merseyside: Scotland vs Ivory Coast at Everton's Flash New Ground

Picture this: Scotland's Steve Clarke and his lads, fresh off a Hampden showdown with Japan, packing their bags for a jaunt down the M6. Not to Glasgow or Edinburgh, mind – they're off to Liverpool, where Everton's swanky new Hill Dickinson Stadium will host its first men's international. It's a World Cup warm-up against Ivory Coast, but with a twist: it's in England. Proper football wanderlust, innit?

The match is Tuesday night, part of the quirky 'Road to 26' series by Pitch International. These are friendlies between World Cup qualifiers at neutral spots, mostly Stateside – think France vs Brazil in Boston or Brazil vs Croatia in Orlando. Logistics clicked here: Ivory Coast faced South Korea in Milton Keynes Saturday, Scotland had Japan at home, so Liverpool was the happy medium.

Why Liverpool? Venue Lowdown and World Cup Buzz

Everton's £800m, 52,769-capacity pad opened this season and it's already pulling in the big guns. It'll host games for Euro 2028 when the home nations share duties, and England's Lionesses have a World Cup qualifier there against Ukraine in June. For Scotland, it's a taste of African flair ahead of facing Morocco in the group stages. Ivory Coast, three-time African champs, get European opposition before tangling with Germany.

David Moyes, the Scot at Everton's helm, is buzzing. "No doubt that night will see Liverpool full of lots of kilted men and I hope you make them all welcome," he cheekily told Toffees fans. With Nathan Patterson – Everton's own right-back – in the Scotland squad, it's a homecoming of sorts. He's following legends like Graeme Sharp, Duncan Ferguson, David Weir, Andy Gray, James McFadden, Pat Nevin and Steven Naismith who donned the blue.

Food, Fans and a Blast from the Past

Everton aren't skimping on the atmosphere. Expect culinary clashes: slow-cooked Ivorian beef stew, Stornoway black pudding loaded jacket potatoes, haggis and smoked bacon pizza, and battered Mars bar with whisky custard. Sounds like a recipe for dodgy guts or the perfect matchday feast – your call.

Scotland's last Liverpool outing? A sneaky 1978 World Cup qualifier when Wales pinched Anfield. Don Masson and Kenny Dalglish fired the Tartan Army to a win, booking their Argentina tickets. History could repeat if Clarke's mob channel that spirit.

This friendly's a smart prep for Qatar. Scotland building momentum post-Japan, Ivory Coast shaking off South Korea vibes. For Everton, it's a stadium showcase. Grab your kilt, a pint, and settle in – Merseyside's about to go full tartan.

(Original reporting by The Independent via OneFootball)

(Word count: 512)