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
Monday 4th August 2025
- 20:00
- Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen
Saturday 9th August 2025
- 15:00
- Dundee United v Heart of Midlothian
- 15:00
- Hibernian v Kilmarnock
- 15:00
- Livingston v Falkirk
- 15:00
- St. Mirren v Motherwell
Friday 1st August 2025
- 19:45
- Arbroath v Ayr United
Saturday 2nd August 2025
- 15:00
- Airdrieonians v Ross County
- 15:00
- Greenock Morton v Dunfermline Athletic
- 15:00
- Raith Rovers v Queen's Park
- 15:00
- St. Johnstone v Partick Thistle
Friday 8th August 2025
- 19:45
- Ross County v St. Johnstone
Saturday 9th August 2025
- 15:00
- Ayr United v Raith Rovers
- 15:00
- Dunfermline Athletic v Airdrieonians
- 15:00
- Partick Thistle v Greenock Morton
- 15:00
- Queen's Park v Arbroath
Saturday 2nd August 2025
- 15:00
- Cove Rangers v Queen of the South
- 15:00
- Hamilton Academical v Montrose
- 15:00
- Stenhousemuir v Alloa Athletic
Saturday 9th August 2025
- 15:00
- East Fife v Alloa Athletic
- 15:00
- Montrose v Kelty Hearts
- 15:00
- Stenhousemuir v Cove Rangers
Saturday 2nd August 2025
- 15:00
- Annan Athletic v Elgin City
- 15:00
- East Kilbride v The Spartans
- 15:00
- Edinburgh City v Stirling Albion
- 15:00
- Forfar Athletic v Stranraer
Saturday 9th August 2025
- 15:00
- Clyde v Forfar Athletic
- 15:00
- Elgin City v East Kilbride
- 15:00
- Stirling Albion v Annan Athletic
- 15:00
- Stranraer v Edinburgh City
- 15:00
- The Spartans v Dumbarton
Friday 11th July 2025
- 19:45
- Edinburgh City v Partick Thistle
Saturday 12th July 2025
- 15:00
- Annan Athletic v Forfar Athletic
- 15:00
- Arbroath v St. Mirren
- 15:00
- Bonnyrigg Rose v Alloa Athletic
- 15:00
- Brechin City v Falkirk
- 15:00
- Brora Rangers v Kilmarnock
- 15:00
- Clyde v Motherwell
- 15:00
- Dundee v Airdrieonians
- 15:00
- East Fife v Livingston
- 15:00
- East Kilbride v St. Johnstone
League Tables
| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdeen | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Celtic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Dundee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Falkirk | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Heart of Midlothian | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Hibernian | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Kilmarnock | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Livingston | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Motherwell | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | St. Mirren | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated at 20/06/2025 at 09:00
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airdrieonians | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Arbroath | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Ayr United | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Greenock Morton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Partick Thistle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Queen's Park | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Raith Rovers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Ross County | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | St. Johnstone | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated at 20/06/2025 at 09:16
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alloa Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Cove Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | East Fife | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Hamilton Academical | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Kelty Hearts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Montrose | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Peterhead | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Queen of the South | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Stenhousemuir | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 0 | 0 | -5 |
Updated at 20/06/2025 at 09:00
View full table| Pos | Team | Pld | Gd | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annan Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Clyde | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | East Kilbride | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Edinburgh City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Elgin City | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Forfar Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Stirling Albion | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Stranraer | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | The Spartans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Dumbarton | 0 | 0 | -5 |
Updated at 20/06/2025 at 09:00
View full table