Scotland's hopes of advancing from Group C at the FIFA World Cup remain alive — but only just. With the round of 32 requiring multiple results to fall their way, travelling supporters face an agonising wait before their fate is sealed.

The tension grew even before fans had made it back from the stadium. Across in Group A, South Africa stunned South Korea, leaving the Koreans third on three points but with a superior goal difference to Steve Clarke's side. With eight third-place finishers advancing to the round of 32, Scotland currently sit seventh among the third-place teams — and only three of the 12 groups have been completed.

Fans weigh their options

Should Scotland squeeze through, three possible venues await. A return trip to Boston to face the Group E winners — likely Germany — on Monday, 29 June (21:30 BST). A match against Mexico in Mexico City at 02:00 BST on Wednesday, 1 July. Or a slim chance of facing the winner of Group I, either France or Norway, at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, 30 June (20:00 BST).

Dave Watson, a presenter on the No Scotland No Party podcast, had originally booked a flight home after the final group game. He told BBC Scotland he now plans to head to New York on Thursday and wait for the outcome to become clear.

Not every fan has the luxury of flexibility. "My dad's got a flight home on Friday," Callum from Linwood said. "He's away back to work, but I chucked my job and sold my car to come here, so I'm not going home now. I'll stay and see what happens."

Alan Horsburgh faces perhaps the most complex set of logistics. Travelling from Orlando to Reykjavik before returning home to Copenhagen, he described spending a five-hour bus journey from Miami working through "eight million different permutations" to determine whether Scotland would progress and where they might play. He is weighing whether to fly home or use air miles to bring his wife back out — a plan that works perfectly if the destination is Boston, far less so if it turns out to be Mexico City.

Others are taking a more straightforward approach. Ian Greenwell from Bathgate said he is heading home but will return if Scotland make it through. Leslie Higgins, based in Connecticut, said a Boston fixture would be almost impossible to resist for his family — though he acknowledged the credit card had already taken a significant hit.

The cost of following Scotland further

For supporters leaving Miami on Sunday, the cheapest flight to Boston costs around £261 including luggage. A flight to JFK airport in New York can be found for as little as £17. Mexico City is a different proposition — a direct flight runs to £433 for a three-and-a-half-hour journey, while a connecting route via Denver takes over 13 hours. Accommodation across all three cities continues to command the premium prices fans have grown used to over the past fortnight.

A guide to the possible destinations

Boston is the most familiar option. Scotland played their first two Group C matches there — against Haiti and Morocco — at the 64,000-capacity stadium roughly an hour from the city centre. Bars, hotels, and pubs line the George River, and for those wanting a break from football, Fenway Park hosts a derby between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Mexico City offers the iconic Azteca stadium — scene of Diego Maradona's infamous "hand of god" and host to the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals — with a capacity of 83,000 following recent renovations. The altitude of 2,200 metres above sea level could prove challenging, though the cooler temperatures may offer some compensation.

New York/New Jersey is the most expensive destination. The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford holds over 78,000 supporters and will host next month's final. A return trip from Penn Station to the ground costs $98. Scotland have previously played in the region — their victory over Bolivia was held at the smaller Sports Illustrated Stadium.

All of it feels hypothetical for now. But the Tartan Army, as ever, is not quite ready to go home.