Disaster Index: 3.4 Entry: Departure Optimism, Pre-Tournament Cause: Scotland's squad photographed departing for the USA, the visual record of hope committing itself to the flight before a ball has been kicked. Category: Emotional Evidence: The squad is airborne. Photographs exist. The country has inspected them carefully for signs of what they cannot yet know. Steve Clarke's expression has been assessed. Historical precedent: Departure photographs from 1998 also looked like this. The flight and the tournament were separate events. Affected parties: Supporters who have now seen the photographs and found them, on balance, encouraging. Immediate outlook: The departure has gone well. The Index notes this. Filed: 31 May 2026 / Pre-tournament, pre-Haiti baseline