Scotland's fourth seed status for World Cup draw confirmed
Fifa will officially announce the European seeding for the draw in Rio de Janeiro in the next few weeks.
But after the latest round of Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies this month, the seedings for the draw have become clear and Craig Levein's side will face a tough task to get to South America in three years time.
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Hide AdAlthough the Scots will go up to 61st place in next month's Fifa Rankings - a rise of four places - they will have to make do with a place in the fourth group of seeds.
They will be in the same Pot as Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Lithuania, Albania, Northern Ireland, Austria, Poland. They could face England, who will be in Pot One.
However, depressingly for the Tartan Army, both Scotland and England were in Pot Two for the 2010 World Cup draw. And while the English have gone up to the top seedings, Scotland have plummeted.
A nightmare draw next month could see Scotland in a qualifying group with Spain, France, Ireland, Finland and Wales.
The best possible draw would see them meet Norway, Slovenia, Hungary, Faroe Islands and San Marino.
The draw in Rio takes place on Saturday, 30 July.
Pot 1: Spain, Netherlands, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Greece
Pot 2: Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, France, Montenegro, Switzerland, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden
Pot 3: Turkey, Czech Republic, Israel, Ireland, Ukraine, Belgium, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria
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Hide AdPot 4: Lithuania, Albania, Hungary, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Poland
Pot 5: Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Macedonia, Moldova, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Wales
Pot 6: Iceland, Luxembourg, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, San Marino