Scottish Professional Football League
Format
The group stage involves 40 clubs - the 37 SPFL clubs for 2025/26 who are not involved in European competition plus Bonnyrigg Rose (relegated to Lowland League), Brora Rangers (Highland League winners) and Brechin City (Highland League runners-up).
Teams are drawn into eight groups of five based on final league positions in 2024/25. As was the case for the past three seasons, there is no regionalisation in the group stage.
Group matches
Clubs are awarded the usual three points for a win but all drawn games in the group stage go straight to penalties - the shoot-out winners receive a bonus point. i.e. three points for a win, two points for a shoot-out win and one point for losing on penalties.
If clubs are level on points at the end of the group stage, the criteria for separating them is 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) head-to-head record, 7) drawing of lots.
Knock-out rounds
The eight group winners and three best runners-up progress to the second round, where they are joined by the five clubs competing in European competitions - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United.
The seeded teams in the last 16 will be the five European representatives and the three group winners with the best records.
The tournament reverts to a traditional knock-out format from the second round onwards, with ties decided by extra time and penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
Premier Sports Cup dates 2025/26
Group stage
MD1: Weekend of July 12/13
MD2: Midweek of July 15/16
MD3: Weekend of July 19/20
MD4: Midweek of July 22/23
MD5: Weekend of July 26/27
Second round
Weekend of August 16/17
Quarter-finals
Weekend of September 20/21
Semi-finals
Weekend of November 1/2
Final
Sunday December 14
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 13th September 2025
- 15:00
- Aberdeen v Livingston
- 15:00
- Dundee v Motherwell
- 15:00
- Falkirk v St. Mirren
- 15:00
- Rangers v Heart of Midlothian
Saturday 30th August 2025
- 15:00
- Arbroath v Airdrieonians
- 15:00
- Ayr United v Queen's Park
- 15:00
- Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County
- 15:00
- Partick Thistle v Raith Rovers
- 15:00
- St. Johnstone v Greenock Morton
Friday 12th September 2025
- 19:45
- Partick Thistle v Airdrieonians
Saturday 13th September 2025
- 15:00
- Arbroath v Dunfermline Athletic
Saturday 30th August 2025
- 15:00
- Queen of the South v Kelty Hearts
- 15:00
- Stenhousemuir v East Fife
- 17:30
- Hamilton Academical v Cove Rangers
Saturday 13th September 2025
- 15:00
- Alloa Athletic v Montrose
- 15:00
- East Fife v Queen of the South
- 15:00
- Kelty Hearts v Stenhousemuir
- 15:00
- Peterhead v Hamilton Academical
Saturday 30th August 2025
- 15:00
- Clyde v Elgin City
- 15:00
- Dumbarton v Edinburgh City
- 15:00
- East Kilbride v Forfar Athletic
- 15:00
- Stirling Albion v Stranraer
- 15:00
- The Spartans v Annan Athletic
Saturday 13th September 2025
- 15:00
- Annan Athletic v Clyde
- 15:00
- Edinburgh City v East Kilbride
- 15:00
- Elgin City v Stirling Albion
- 15:00
- Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton
- 15:00
- Stranraer v The Spartans
Friday 5th September 2025
Saturday 6th September 2025
- 15:00
- Alloa Athletic v Celtic B
- 15:00
- Annan Athletic v St. Mirren B
- 15:00
- Clyde v Motherwell B
- 15:00
- East Kilbride v Hamilton Academical
- 15:00
- Edinburgh City v Heart of Midlothian B
- 15:00
- Elgin City v Cove Rangers
- 15:00
- Forfar Athletic v Dundee B
- 15:00
- Kelty Hearts v Stranraer
Friday 19th September 2025
- 19:45
- Kilmarnock v St. Mirren
League Tables
| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 2 | Heart of Midlothian | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | Hibernian | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Livingston | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Kilmarnock | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Rangers | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | Dundee | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 9 | St. Mirren | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 10 | Dundee United | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 11 | Falkirk | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 12 | Aberdeen | 2 | -4 | 0 |
Updated at 26/08/2025 at 12:50
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Johnstone | 3 | 8 | 9 |
| 2 | Raith Rovers | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | Dunfermline Athletic | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Arbroath | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 5 | Partick Thistle | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 6 | Greenock Morton | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Ayr United | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 8 | Airdrieonians | 3 | -2 | 2 |
| 9 | Queen's Park | 3 | -2 | 2 |
| 10 | Ross County | 3 | -3 | 1 |
Updated at 28/08/2025 at 11:16
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alloa Athletic | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | Queen of the South | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | Stenhousemuir | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | Hamilton Academical | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | Peterhead | 4 | -1 | 6 |
| 6 | East Fife | 4 | -2 | 6 |
| 7 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| 8 | Kelty Hearts | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 9 | Montrose | 4 | -5 | 1 |
| 10 | Cove Rangers | 4 | -5 | 1 |
Updated at 24/08/2025 at 20:05
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spartans | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 2 | East Kilbride | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| 3 | Forfar Athletic | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 4 | Dumbarton | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Annan Athletic | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | Stirling Albion | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| 7 | Clyde | 4 | -3 | 2 |
| 8 | Elgin City | 4 | -4 | 1 |
| 9 | Stranraer | 4 | -4 | 1 |
| 10 | Edinburgh City | 4 | 2 | -8 |
Updated at 28/08/2025 at 11:25
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2 | East Fife | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Montrose | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 4 | Stranraer | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | East Kilbride | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Dumbarton | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 7 | Stenhousemuir | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 8 | Celtic B | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 | Edinburgh City | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 10 | Peterhead | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 11 | Cove Rangers | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 12 | Dundee United B | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Queen of the South | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 14 | Kelty Hearts | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Forfar Athletic | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | St. Mirren B | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 17 | Elgin City | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 18 | Stirling Albion | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 19 | The Spartans | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | Hamilton Academical | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 21 | Motherwell B | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 22 | Alloa Athletic | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 23 | Kilmarnock B | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 24 | Hibernian B | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| 25 | Annan Athletic | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| 26 | Dundee B | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 27 | Rangers B | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 28 | Clyde | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 29 | Heart of Midlothian B | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 30 | Aberdeen B | 2 | -5 | 0 |
Updated at 28/08/2025 at 12:08
View full table