Fixtures for the group stage of the 2016/17 Betfred Cup have now been confirmed, with 80 matches taking place between July 15 and 31.
Competition broadcaster BT Sport have announced five live TV selections and will make their choice for matchday five (July 30/31) in due course.
PDF of the Betfred Cup group stage fixtures
Group A
Saturday 16 July
East Fife v Dundee, 3.00pm
Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Dumbarton v East Fife, 7.45pm
Peterhead v Forfar Athletic, 8.00pm
Saturday 23 July
Dundee v Dumbarton, 3.00pm
East Fife v Peterhead, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Forfar Athletic v East Fife, 7.45pm
Peterhead v Dundee, 8.00pm
Saturday 30 July
Dumbarton v Peterhead, 3.00pm
Dundee v Forfar Athletic, 3.00pm
Group B
Saturday 16 July
Elgin City v St Johnstone, 3.00pm
Stirling Albion v Falkirk, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Brechin City v Stirling Albion, 7.45pm
Falkirk v Elgin City, 7.45pm
Saturday 23 July
Elgin City v Brechin City, 3.00pm
St Johnstone v Falkirk, 3.00pm (Live on BT Sport)
Tuesday 26 July
Brechin City v St Johnstone, 7.45pm
Stirling Albion v Elgin City, 7.45pm
Saturday 30 July
Falkirk v Brechin City, 3.00pm
St Johnstone v Stirling Albion, 3.00pm
Group C
Friday 15 July
Arbroath v Dundee United, 7.45pm (Live on BT Sport)
Saturday 16 July
Cowdenbeath v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Dundee United v Cowdenbeath, 7.45pm
Dunfermline Athletic v Arbroath, 7.45pm
Saturday 23 July
Cowdenbeath v Dunfermline Athletic, 3.00pm
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Dundee United, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Dunfermline Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, 7.45pm
Wednesday 27 July
Arbroath v Cowdenbeath, 7.45pm
Sunday 31 July
Dundee United v Dunfermline Athletic, 3.00pm
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Arbroath, 3.00pm
Group D
Saturday 16 July
Cove Rangers v Raith Rovers, 3.00pm
Montrose v Ross County, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Alloa Athletic v Cove Rangers, 7.30pm
Raith Rovers v Montrose, 7.45pm
Saturday 23 July
Montrose v Alloa Athletic, 3.00pm
Sunday 24 July
Ross County v Raith Rovers, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Cove Rangers v Montrose, 7.45pm
Wednesday 27 July
Alloa Athletic v Ross County, 7.30pm
Saturday 30 July
Raith Rovers v Alloa Athletic, 3.00pm
Ross County v Cove Rangers, 3.00pm
Group E
Saturday 16 July
Airdrieonians v Partick Thistle, 3.00pm
Queen's Park v Queen of the South, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Queen of the South v Airdrieonians, 7.45pm
Stenhousemuir v Queen's Park, 7.30pm
Saturday 23 July
Airdrieonians v Stenhousemuir, 3.00pm
Partick Thistle v Queen of the South, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Queen's Park v Airdrieonians, 7.30pm
Stenhousemuir v Partick Thistle, 7.30pm
Saturday 30 July
Partick Thistle v Queen's Park, 3.00pm
Queen of the South v Stenhousemuir, 3.00pm
Group F
Saturday 16 July
Annan Athletic v Stranraer, 3.00pm
Motherwell v Rangers, 3.00pm (Live on BT Sport)
Tuesday 19 July
Rangers v Annan Athletic, 7.45pm
Stranraer v East Stirlingshire, 7.45pm
Friday 22 July
East Stirlingshire v Rangers, 7.45pm (Live on BT Sport)
Saturday 23 July
Annan Athletic v Motherwell, 3.00pm
Monday 25 July
Rangers v Stranraer, 7.45pm (Live on BT Sport)
Tuesday 26 July
Motherwell v East Stirlingshire, 7.45pm
Saturday 30 July
East Stirlingshire v Annan Athletic, 3.00pm
Stranraer v Motherwell, 3.00pm
Group G
Saturday 16 July
Ayr United v Hamilton Academical, 3.00pm
Livingston v St Mirren, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
St Mirren v Ayr United, 7.45pm
Wednesday 20 July
Edinburgh City v Livingston, 7.45pm
Saturday 23 July
Ayr United v Edinburgh City, 3.00pm
Hamilton Academical v St Mirren, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Livingston v Ayr United, 7.45pm
Wednesday 27 July
Edinburgh City v Hamilton Academical, 7.45pm
Saturday 30 July
Hamilton Academical v Livingston, 3.00pm
St Mirren v Edinburgh City, 3.00pm
Group H
Saturday 16 July
Albion Rovers v Morton, 3.00pm
Clyde v Kilmarnock, 3.00pm
Tuesday 19 July
Berwick Rangers v Albion Rovers, 7.45pm
Morton v Clyde, 7.45pm
Saturday 23 July
Clyde v Berwick Rangers, 3.00pm
Kilmarnock v Morton, 3.00pm
Tuesday 26 July
Albion Rovers v Clyde, 7.45pm
Berwick Rangers v Kilmarnock, 7.45pm
Saturday 30 July
Kilmarnock v Albion Rovers, 3.00pm
Morton v Berwick Rangers, 3.00pm
Format
The fixtures for the Betfred Cup Group Stage follow a design from UEFA used previously for the UEFA Cup. Each Club will play one game at home and the other away against the two clubs drawn immediately below it in the group. Club 1 plays Club 2 at home and Club 3 away; Club 2 plays Club 3 at home and Club 4 away and so on. This is criteria is circular so that the Clubs “immediately below” Club 5 are Club 1 and Club 2 in that order. This mechanism will ensure that each Club will play four games in the Group (two at home and two away).
The actual schedule of the matches will consider live broadcast selections, avoiding geographical clashes (e.g. Dundee and Dundee United will not be at home on the same day) and other constraints we are aware of. However, it will not alter which club plays which other club home or away – that is already set by the Group Draw.
The group stage uses the traditional three points for a win and one point for a draw model but drawn matches will go straight to a penalty shoot-out. The winner of the shoot-out will be awarded a bonus point. The eight group winners and four best runners-up progress to the second round, where they are joined by the four UEFA qualifying clubs, and the competition reverts to a knock-out format.
Dates for future rounds
Second round - Tuesday/Wednesday 9/10 August
Quarter-finals - Tuesday/Wednesday 20/21 September
Semi-finals - Saturday/Sunday 22/23 October
Final - Sunday 27 November
