M88WorldCups - Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes is reportedly set to hold discussions with Scotland national team head coach Steve Clarke regarding the possibility of switching his international allegiance from England to Scotland ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Barnes, who was born in Burnley, has Scottish eligibility through his maternal lineage, making him eligible to represent the national team.

The 28-year-old player has so far made only one appearance for the England national team, which came in a friendly match against Wales in 2020.

Barnes Open to Representing Scotland

Following Scotland’s 4-2 victory over Denmark in the final match of the World Cup qualification group stage, which secured their place in the finals in North America next summer, Barnes’ name has begun to be linked with a potential move to the Scotland national team.

Barnes, who has earned just one cap for England in a friendly against Wales in 2020, qualifies to represent Scotland through his maternal grandparents.

After Scotland’s qualification, Barnes provided an update on his situation in an interview with Sky Sports.

He stated that he had previously represented England and understood that under the regulations he remained eligible.

However, to date there have been no serious discussions or concrete developments regarding such a move.

Barnes acknowledged that the issue is often discussed, particularly recently, but has not yet become his main focus.
He also expressed his happiness at seeing Scotland qualify for the World Cup in what he described as a very dramatic match.

Scotland Coach Ready to Call Up Barnes

Responding to Barnes’ openness to representing Scotland, national team head coach Steve Clarke stated his readiness to hold talks with the Newcastle United player, potentially followed by a call-up to the squad.

Clarke said that the timing was considered appropriate for discussions and emphasized that as long as a player arrives with full commitment, he would be warmly welcomed into the team.

Clarke stressed that the Scotland squad consists of honest, hardworking players with a strong sense of togetherness.

According to him, anyone joining this group would find it difficult not to enjoy the team environment, provided they possess commitment and a genuine desire to contribute.

Clarke also expressed his satisfaction that at the upcoming World Cup he will be able to take a squad of 26 players.

He revealed that many names are put forward by club managers and agents, but only players who are truly of high quality and fully committed will be considered.

He underlined the importance of remaining loyal to the players who helped Scotland qualify for the World Cup, a principle that has been built through mutual trust over the past six and a half years.

Clarke’s Desire to Continue Coaching Scotland After the World Cup

In further discussion about his journey with the Scotland national team, Clarke revealed that any continuation of his role as head coach must be the right decision for both himself and the federation.
He plans to wait until the turn of the year to first complete training camps, preparations, and the World Cup program.

Clarke hopes that after this he will have time before the March fixtures to evaluate various matters, including how to ensure that Scotland does not return to waiting decades to qualify for the next World Cup.

He believes that most of the players in the current squad will still be capable of competing until 2028, meaning there are still many aspects of the national team’s future that need to be discussed.

The Next Steps for Harvey Barnes

In the 2025–26 Premier League season, Barnes has made 15 appearances, although only seven of them have been as a starter, accumulating a total of 720 minutes of playing time.

He hopes to feature more consistently for Newcastle United in the coming months in order to maintain his chances of being included in the Scotland squad for the World Cup next summer.

Barnes is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday when Eddie Howe’s side face Fulham in the quarter-finals of the English League Cup.