Sandi Thom has emerged as the leading candidate to record the official Scotland World Cup song after performing her new track for the First Minister and representatives of the Scottish Football Association. The 44-year-old singer from Banff was invited to Bute House in Edinburgh by John Swinney to showcase her song, *I’m Proud to Be from Scotland*.
Alongside senior government figures, the audience included top officials from the Scottish FA, giving Sandi an ideal platform to present her song as the country’s next terrace anthem. She first rose to prominence in 2006 when her debut single *I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)* replaced Gnarls Barkley’s *Crazy* at the top of the charts and reached number one in seven countries.
She now hopes her new track, described as “a love letter to Scottish football,” will be selected as the official World Cup anthem. One guest at the Bute House gathering told the Record: “Sandi performed her song after being invited as one of the special guests.
“It traces the history of Scottish football, mentioning the great players from the 1970s right through to today, and it’s called *I’m Proud To Be From Scotland*. It went down really well. Everyone there could imagine it being sung by Scotland supporters. It has a big chorus that the Tartan Army would embrace.”
Another source added: “Football is part of our identity. A song that honours the past and brings people together in song is a winning idea.”
Sandi has also privately played the track for Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell in the hope of receiving official backing. If approved, it would join a proud legacy of Scottish football anthems such as *Don’t Come Home Too Soon* by Del Amitri from 1998, *We Have a Dream* written by BA Robertson in 1982, and *Ally’s Tartan Army* by Andy Cameron in 1978.
This time, however, competition for the honour is intense. Other hopefuls include *We Are Scotland… World Cup 2026* by Martin Considine and an as-yet untitled song from Calum MacPhail.
For Sandi, the opportunity to represent her country on a global stage arrives at a significant point in both her life and career. This year she marks the 20th anniversary of *I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)* with a busy calendar of live performances.
She is scheduled to appear on the main stage at both the Heartland and Party At The Palace festivals and will also embark on a 25-date UK tour, revisiting the song that transformed her career.
