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Scottish Premiership Team Of The Year 2026 – With five Motherwell and four Hearts players included

The Steelmen and Jambo’s dominate this year’s Premiership TOTY, with five players from Motherwell, four from Hearts and one from each of the Old Firm included. The team selected is as the following: Calum Ward (Motherwell) Paul McGinn (Motherwell) Craig Halkett (Hearts) Emmanuel Fernandez (Rangers) Harry Milne (Hearts) Benjamin Nygren (Celtic) Elliot Watt (Motherwell) Elijah Just (Motherwell) Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell) Lawrence Shankland (Hearts) Claudio Braga (Hearts) Five massive fixtures to go in the league, will these players selected make a difference to the standings come the end of the season?

April 17, 2026

Falkirk 3-6 Rangers: Rohl’s side keep pace with rivals after nine goal thriller

The game of the season was played at the Falkirk stadium as Rangers took the points in a ridiculous game that ended Falkirk 3-6 Rangers Falkirk came into this game a week out from a huge game at Hampden in the Scottish cup and had three wins, one draw and just the single loss. Rangers came into this one with the same record, albeit with a cup loss to Celtic on penalties. Rangers are unbeaten in the league since a December loss to Hearts at Tynecastle. Falkirk made just one change to the team that won 3-2 away at Motherwell as Leon McCann dropped to the bench and was replaced by club captain Coll Donaldson. Rangers made four changes to the team that won 4-2 at home to Dundee United, Dujon Sterling, John Souttar, Andreas Skov Olsen and injured Ryan Naderi were out and replaced by James Tavernier, Emmanuel Fernandez, Djedi Gassama and Youssef Chermiti. The first chance of the game ended up in a goal for Falkirk. Finn Yeats got the break of the ball and played it to Calvin Miller, who fired a cross that found Ben Broggio, who slotted for his fourth goal since his loan move from Aston Villa in January. Rangers got their first chance of the game as the ball was worked wide to Gassama, who hit a good shot across the goal, but it was saved by Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain. A smart free-kick move was executed by Thelo Aasgaard, and it dropped to Chermiti, who ballooned it way over the bar. Falkirk had another decent chance as a ball over the top reached Barney Stewart, and his shot on the spin went wide of Jack Butland’s goal. Falkirk scored their second as the ball broke to Finn Yeats after some poor decision-making by the Rangers’ defence with a fantastic curling shot into the corner of the goal. Rangers had another chance as Mikey Moore found some space on the left but his shot was weak and straight at Bain. Falkirk got another shot off, this time right back Keelan Adams cut inside and hit a powerful shot, but it was blocked by Fernandez. Rangers managed to get the ball into the net as Tochi Chukwuani fired the ball into the net. The goal was checked by VAR as the ball potentially went out as Nico Raskin tried to play the ball back in, but the goal stood, and it was game on again. A free kick went in by James Tavernier for Rangers, and Nasser Djiga headed over the bar as the halftime whistle was blown. Right at the start of the second half, Rangers would get their equaliser as Gassama does well to win the ball from Adams, and his ball is met by Chermiti, and his deft touch pulls Rangers back into the game. Falkirk got their first chance of the second half as Stewart lays the ball off to Yeats, and his shot is just over the bar. Remarkably, Rangers took the lead as Raskin hit a curling shot away from Bain and left the keeper with no chance, and Rangers turned the game on its head. Rangers had another chance from Chermiti after a good ball winning from Gassama, but he hit it straight at Bain as Falkirk looked a bit stunned. Rangers unbelievably got their fourth as Raskin crossed the ball, and substitute Bojan Miovski scored with his left thigh. Falkirk were then given a penalty as Yeats was pulled down by Tavernier, Jack Butland got a hand to the ball from Calvin Miller’s strike, but it found the net for Falkirk’s third of the game. Falkirk had a bit of a spring in their step with 20 minutes to go as Miller went for goal from just outside the box, but it went just wide of the post. Rangers then managed to restore their two-goal advantage as Miovski’s shot was blocked by Liam Henderson but it fell to Chermiti for his second of the day and Rangers’ fifth. As we got to the last five minutes, Rangers got their sixth, a good ball across the face of the goal by substitute Oliver Antman, and Miovski was in the right place to tap in for his second and make the score 3-6. The game mercilessly came to an end with nine goals as Rangers pick up a huge three points in their bid for the Scottish Premiership title. Next up for Falkirk is a derby cup semi-final at Hampden as they take on Dunfermline for a place in the final. Rangers are off for a warm-weather training camp in Spain before their post-split schedule starts at Ibrox against Motherwell Falkirk Scott Bain, Keelan Adams, Coll Donaldson, Liam Henderson, Filip Lissah, Brad Spencer, Dylan Tait (Henry Cartwright 81’), Calvin Miller (Ethan Ross 81’), Finn Yeats(Kyrell Wilson 71’), Ben Broggio (Ben Parkinson 70’), Barney Stewart. Rangers Jack Butland, James Tavernier, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, Jayden Meghoma (Max Aarons 70’), Nicolas Raskin, Tochi Chukwuani (Mohammed Diomande 85’), Mikey Moore (Bojan Miovski 46’), Djedi Gassama (Oliver Antman 85’), Thelo Assgaard (Connor Barron 77’), Youssef Chermiti.

April 12, 2026

Referees And VAR In Scotland: How Do We Fix This?

I think it’s an undeniable fact that the standard of refereeing in Scotland has diminished as the years have gone on. I believe there is one distinct reason for this, Scotland has too many “Category 1” referees in comparison to other bigger countries, now Scotland’s structure of referee development is much different to other countries, however even then these following numbers are alarming in my opinion. The SFA has around 80 referees in their “Category 1 pool” considering we only have 42 clubs in our professional league set-up, this seems rather excessive. When you compare the “Category 1” or ”elite level” referee pools in England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy they all clock in at a more reasonable 20-25 top level whistlers. This to me is a clear indication that the SFA has favoured a “quantity over quality” perspective and have ended up placing guys into situations they are not ready for, and the implementation of VAR has only made things more complicated. I was recently at Easter Road for Hibernian’s game against Livingston, where I witnessed one of the worst penalty calls I’ve ever seen when Mo Sylla quite clearly wins the ball from a challenge on Martin Boyle however referee Lloyd Wilson decides to point to the spot. It took the intervention of VAR to come to the correct outcome, however the initial decision was so poor, questions must be asked as to how he decided to call for a penalty. Wilson is currently in his first season refereeing in the Scottish Premiership and without VAR he could have cost relegation threatened Livingston a much valuable point at a difficult away venue. It’s not just the younger, less experienced referees that are making these decisions, you have to look back no further than last Sunday when Livingston were again involved against Edinburgh opposition, this time Hearts at The Home of the Set Fare Arena where in the dying moments of the game Robbie Muirhead is clearly pulled down by Marc Leonard with no cover whatsoever. However, referee Kevin Clancy only gave a yellow card to the Hearts midfielder, again until VAR was able to bring the on-field official to the clear correct decision. Kevin Clancy made his Premiership debut in April 2012 meaning he’s been one of Scotland’s top flight officials for 14 years, yet somehow still needing the usage of the technology to find the correct decision that people in the stands and watching on TV at home can clearly see. The SFA must change the way they promote referees if they are to fix these issues, the “Category 1” pool is overcrowded with newly promoted and older headed referees who are not up to the task of refereeing at the top level. Just take the involvement of Scottish referees at international level as more evidence of this, throughout the 1990s and 2000s, referees such as Hugh Dallas, Craig Thomson and even the now head of SFA referees Willie Collum regularly officiated in the Champions League and major international competitions. However by 2020 Scotland had zero referees on UEFA’s Elite list, Nick Walsh was promoted to that list in 2025, and was the first in 13 years. Moving to VAR, I think I’m probably in the minority when I say I’m generally supportive of the implementation of VAR. Without it around 90% of the on-field decisions alone are correct, however with the technology that number goes up to 97.8% and I think with every correct decision that VAR makes, is a reason for it to be kept. Saying that, I think there’s a couple of things that could make it even better, because really when you have the luxury of watching a certain incident over and over again as much as you like, not having 100% correct decisions shows a still flawed system. I won’t explain one specific example because frankly there are too many that affect every Premiership club, but how many times have we seen the VAR team trying to draw lines to determine an offside decision and the camera angle is not in the correct position to see the players affecting the decision. It’s off to the side, at a dodgy angle and there’s a third player blocking the view of the camera to the players involved, and in one instance I remember a certain Motherwell vs Celtic game where they are trying to determine an offside from a camera on the whole other side of the pitch from the play. Simply put we need more cameras installed in stadiums to help the VAR officials with their decision making, but it’s not just offside decisions there’s other situations this could be useful. During the Scottish cup tie between Aberdeen and Motherwell where Liam Gordon was sent off for the Steelmen for denying a goal scoring opportunity in the centre circle with many teammates around him, John Beaton was then sent to the monitor to check his decision. They proceeded to show Beaton a replay of the incident from behind the goal at the beach end at Pittodrie which gave no context to the play and how close the other Motherwell players were to the play and therefore Beaton kept his original and wrong decision. It’s my opinion that if the camera angle wasn’t, as Scotland International John McGinn said on X: “From the north sea” John Beaton would have been better placed to change his mind. Again simply put, Scotland needs to put more money into VAR to help referees who clearly aren’t up to standard and until these differences are implemented, refereeing in Scotland will continue to decline.

April 9, 2026

Dundee discover their post-split fixtures

The final Dundee Derby, potential relegation six-pointers – Dundee’s post-split fixtures have been announced. Dundee kick-off their post-split fixtures against their city rivals Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday 26th April, with kick-off at 14:00. The game will also be available on Premier Sports. In the previous meeting between these sides, the game somehow finished in a draw. Jim Goodwin’s men found themselves 2-0 up going into the last few minutes of injury time, but a goal from Hay and an own goal from Graham gave Dundee a point. The away side won the other two derbies this season. United won the opening derby of the season 2-0 at Dens Park and Dundee beat United 1-0 at Tannadice. Dundee then face St Mirren at Dens Park, which could prove to be a massive clash in the survival race. Dundee currently sit two points above St Mirren, who sit in 10th place. The first meeting between these sides, which took place in Paisley, ended 1-0 to St Mirren. In the second meeting, Dundee won 3-1 at Dens Park, and in the third meeting, which took place in Paisly, the game finished goalless. Dundee then face Livingston at Dens Park, who sit bottom of the league, but have improved since Bartley took charge. There has been very little to separate these sides in their three meetings this season. Dundee won the first meeting 3-2 at Dens Park, courtesy of a 97th minute penalty. The other two meetings finished 2-2, with Dundee going 2-0 up in both matches. Dundee then face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park under the lights. These sides, who will face each other this weekend in the final game week before the split, have met three times this campaign. The first meeting, at Rugby Park, finished goalless. In the second meeting, Steven Pressley’s men came from behind to win 2-1 at Dens Park. These sides also met in the Scottish Cup 4th Round at Rugby Park, where Dundee came from behind once again to win 2-1, against nine-man Kilmarnock. Dundee round off the season with what could prove to be a massive game against Aberdeen at Dens Park. Aberdeen currently sit three points above Kilmarnock. The first meeting between these sides ended 4-0 to Aberdeen. In the first meeting between these sides at Dens Park, Aberdeen won 3-1. Aouchiche, who scored in the 4-0 win and bagged a brace in the 3-1 win at Dens Park, departed Aberdeen in February. And in the most recent meeting, at Pittodrie, Dundee recorded their first win at Pittodrie since 2004, winning 3-2.

April 7, 2026

Five Games. One Winner: Post-Split fixtures announced

Heart of Midlothian and Celtic may find themselves battling for the Premiership trophy on the final weekend of the season in Glasgow on Saturday, 16 May, following the release of the post-split fixture list by the SPFL. Once this weekend’s 33rd matches are completed, the Premiership will separate into two groups of six. Rangers remain firmly involved, making it a three-way contest for the title. The final Celtic–Rangers meeting, with the champions hosting, has been scheduled for Sunday, 10 May, three rounds before the end of the campaign. Hearts kick off their post-split run with an away Edinburgh derby against Hibernian on Sunday, 26 April. Derek McInnes’ squad, whose lead over Rangers shrank to a single point last weekend, are set to welcome the Ibrox side on Monday, 4 May. Rangers will conclude their league season with a third trip to Falkirk. Due to a fixture imbalance, stemming from expectations that Falkirk would finish in the bottom six, the club has ended up with one additional home match compared to the rest. In the bottom half of the table, five sides remain in danger of relegation. The last round of bottom-six matches is set for Sunday, 17 May, when Dundee host Aberdeen, Kilmarnock travel to Livingston, and St Mirren face Dundee United at home. After this weekend, the Premiership will pause for a two-week international break before returning on 25 April. On that date, Celtic play Falkirk in the top half, while Aberdeen host Kilmarnock and Livingston head to St Mirren. The following day, Rangers take on Motherwell, and Dundee United meet Dundee in the final city derby of the season. The remaining post-split fixtures will take place over the weekends of 2-3 May and 9-10 May, along with midweek matches on 12-13 May. The top-six schedule wraps up on 16 May, followed by the bottom-six finale on 17 May.

April 7, 2026

Title hopes hang by a thread: SPFL Breakdown Round 32

After an underwhelming international break, the return of the Scottish Premiership could not come quick enough. With seismic matchups at the top and bottom of the league, these are the main talking points for this weekend. Game of the Round – Dundee v Celtic Martin O’Neill’s side returns to the City of Discovery just 14 days after a dismal showing at Tannadice. That deserved 2-0 defeat to United left the reigning champions trailing league leaders Hearts by five points, leaving virtually no margin for error as they return to Tayside. Celtic’s struggles in Dundee have become a season-long narrative, stretching back to October 2025. On that occasion, a Clark Robertson header and a Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal handed a Brendan Rodgers-led side their first league loss of the campaign. Now in April, and with eight total defeats on the books, O’Neill will understand the gravity of the situation, especially with both Hearts and Rangers playing earlier in the weekend. Standing in their way is a Dundee side that has defied many this season. Originally tipped for relegation, Steven Pressley’s men sit comfortably in 8th place, five points clear of the relegation playoffs. The flair of Tony Yogane and Cameron Congreve has electrified the Dens Park faithful, and having already taken points off both halves of the Old Firm this season, the Dark Blues will be eager to secure their top-flight status further. With Celtic’s title defence hanging in the balance, this trip to Dens Park feels like the latest defining moment in an historic season. Manager Spotlight – Stephen Robinson Stephen Robinson’s legacy in Paisley is already secure. With three consecutive top-six finishes and a knack for punching well above his weight, he reached legendary status in December by leading St Mirren to a historic League Cup victory over Celtic. However, this weekend, Robinson returns to the SMiSA Stadium with his new side, Aberdeen. While the title race captures the headlines, a desperate struggle is unfolding in the bottom half of the table – Kilmarnock, St Mirren, and Aberdeen are currently separated by just three points in a bid to avoid the relegation playoff spot. The outlook at Pittodrie is increasingly tense. Robinson’s primary remit, securing Aberdeen’s Premiership status, has hit a wall, with the Dons recording only a single league win in 2026. Coming off a bruising 4-1 defeat at Ibrox, confidence looks to be thin. The narrative is cinematic – St Mirren’s former hero, the man who delivered silverware just four months ago, returns to his old stomping ground to deliver a knockout blow to his former club’s survival hopes. Will Robinson be able to spark an Aberdeen revival against his former side this weekend? Player to Watch – Lawrence Shankland Tynecastle was thick with tension as Hearts remained locked in a stalemate with Dundee on the last matchday. However, the atmosphere shifted in the 54th minute when Derek McInnes introduced captain Lawrence Shankland. His return immediately steadied the home support, providing the platform for Hearts to grind out yet another vital 1-0 victory. It was Shankland’s first appearance since the agonising penalty shootout defeat to Falkirk in the Scottish Cup back in January. While Hearts have managed to maintain their position at the top of the table in his absence, the struggle of the last eight games has been evident. His tactical intelligence, hold-up play, and clinical finishing are tools that McInnes will be thrilled to have back for the home stretch. In a three-way title race, Hearts possess the one thing Celtic and Rangers have often lacked this season: a truly consistent, proven goalscorer. With two massive fixtures against Livingston and Motherwell looming before the split, Shankland could well be the catalyst that turns a historic title charge into a reality for the Gorgie side.

April 2, 2026

Derby Stars, New Beginnings, and Title Credentials: SPFL Breakdown Round 30

Ahead of a crucial Scottish Premiership weekend, these are three things to watch out for, with key match-ups all over the league table. Game of the Weekend – Celtic v Motherwell While omitting the Dundee Derby feels like a slight, Motherwell’s latest trip to Celtic Park is shaping up to be an unmissable clash. Much has been made of Jens Berthel Askou’s tactical imprint on the league this season; his side will arrive full of belief that they can conduct an upset, despite a stumble at Dens Park last weekend. Memories of their last meeting linger, a 2-0 Motherwell victory that felt more like a massacre than the scoreline suggested. Askou’s men ran riot against a passive Celtic side, then managed by the beleaguered Wilfried Nancy. However, the Hoops are a different beast now. With Martin O’Neill back in the dugout, Celtic are riding high after a marathon 120-minute triumph over Rangers at Hampden. Returning home after a gruelling four-game road trip across Ibrox, Stuttgart, and Aberdeen, Celtic’s task is to close the gap at the top to just two points with the Jambos playing in the evening kick-off. Whether Motherwell can throw another spanner in the works of this title race remains to be seen, but if their last 3-2 thriller in Glasgow is any indication, we’re in for a classic. Team Spotlight – Aberdeen Stephen Robinson has undoubtedly earned a crack at the Aberdeen job. Departing St Mirren as a club legend, he leaves behind a legacy of three consecutive top-half finishes and a League Cup trophy, all achieved on a fraction of his rivals’ budgets. His immediate task is to galvanise a fragmented Dons squad still reeling from a shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Dunfermline. With their trophy defence dead and a bottom-six finish already guaranteed, Robinson’s priority is a total appraisal of a bloated squad as he looks toward next season. His tenure begins with a baptism of fire – Falkirk at home. With the Bairns playing expansive football and chasing a European spot, Pittodrie will be an unforgiving introduction for the new man. All eyes turn to the North East this weekend to see if, five years after Derek McInnes moved on, Aberdeen have finally found a long-term successor. Player Spotlight – Tony Yogane The third instalment of the Dundee Derby arrives this Sunday. Although both sides currently reside in the bottom six, the stakes remain high in what promises to be an intriguing encounter at Dens Park. The Dark Blues have the chance to leapfrog their bitter rivals into 7th place, continuing a season that has defied many pre-season relegation predictions. Central to Steven Pressley’s success has been a reliance on phenomenal wing play. Swansea loanee Cameron Congreve commands the headlines – currently the league’s joint-top assist provider with seven – he recently showcased his value with a stunning 20-yard strike in a chaotic 3-3 draw with Hibernian. However, Tony Yogane is proving just as potent on the opposite flank. The Brentford loanee, fresh from opening the scoring in a vital win over high-flying Motherwell, has consistently impressed with his physicality and tireless work rate. After playing the full 90 minutes in Dundee’s 1-0 triumph at Tannadice earlier this season, Yogane will be eager to replicate that dominant performance on home turf.

March 13, 2026

Dundee vs Dundee United – Match Preview

Dundee welcome rivals Dundee United to Dens Park, for the 3rd Dundee Derby of the season. The away side have won the previous 2 derbies this season. In the most recent meeting, Dundee beat United 1-0 at Tannadice, with Hay’s goal right at the end of the first period the difference between the sides. In the first meeting of the season, Jim Goodwin’s side won 2-0, with the goals coming from Sapsford and Dolcek. Dundee come into the derby off the back of an impressive 2-1 win against high-flying Motherwell. Steven Pressley’s side are unbeaten in their last 4 games, which included a first win at Pittodrie since 2004 and a 95th minute equaliser against Hibernian after McGrath thought he won it when he found the net on 89 minutes. On the other hand, United come into the Derby off the back of a 2-1 defeat against Falkirk, which saw their Scottish Cup hopes come to an end. The Terrors have only won 1 of their last 5 matches, with that 1 win coming against St Mirren at Tannadice. Dundee have a respectable home league record. The Dens Park outfit have won 6, drawn 3 and lost 5 of their 14 home league games. However, they have beaten Celtic, who they play at home on April 5th, beaten Falkirk and beaten Motherwell at Dens Park. Dundee United have not been great on the road this campaign. The Tangerines have won 3, drawn 6 and lost 5 of their 14 away matches in the league, however, 1 of those wins did come against Dundee. Steven Pressley’s reaction to win against Motherwell: “We set up in a certain way, Motherwell adapted, tested us but time and time again the players found solutions. At times we showed good bravery. It’s small steps from us in the right direction, that’s now seven points from our last nine against Aberdeen, Motherwell and Hibernian which is a good return but the most pleasing thing for me is that we’re making progress and the players are showing a lot of personality and a lot of character. “Motherwell had a lot of pressure, a lot of efforts on goal and made it really difficult for us but time and time again the players came up with the answers and defended for their lives. “I think for that effort alone it’s really pleasing for them to get the rewards with the win.” On Jon McCracken: “Jon McCracken has been terrific for us all season. There’s been a couple of moments of late but he’s responded brilliantly to that. There hasn’t been that many, and also we have to remember it’s his first real run of games at this level. he’s played more games this season than in any other season so he’s learning all the time, growing all the time.” Jim Goodwin’ reaction to defeat against Falkirk: “I don’t want to be making any excuses but we’ve had nine games in five weeks and we could have done without the St Mirren game three days before a Firday night game. Add to that we’ve had key players suspended but it’s a really disappointing outcome but you can’t afford to start like we did. “We wont allow the season to peter out. We have a big job to close the gap on Falkirk but we’ll not give up on that.”

March 13, 2026

Scottish Football Restructuring Proposal Phase 4: Refereeing Structure

A comprehensive new proposal to restructure Scottish football has been launched by supporter and former SPFL scout Joe Quinn, including a revamped refereeing structure. Match officiating plays a crucial role in the integrity, fairness, and credibility of any football competition. To align Scottish football with the international best practices and enhance the performance, accountability, and development of referees, this proposal introduces a new structure centred around training, transparency, and the option of full-time professionalism. 1. Current Status (Part-Time System) At present, all referees operating in the Scottish Premiership, as well as those officiating in the lower SPFL divisions and domestic cup competitions, are part- time. These officials often balance refereeing with separate careers or occupations, meaning limited time is available for ongoing training, match review, or performance development. While this system has functioned for decades, it is increasingly viewed as insufficient for a modern footballing environment, where officiating decisions are under constant public scrutiny. Moreover, part-time status restricts opportunities for referees to commit to continuous professional development, embrace advanced technologies, or maintain the physical and analytical standards required at the highest level of the game. 2. Proposed Referee Structure This proposal introduces a more progressive, sustainable model that supports the development of refereeing standards in Scotland. It does not require all referees to go full-time but introduces new optional pathways, better mentoring, and performance review systems. Full-Time Option for Premiership Referees who officiate regularly in the Scottish Premiership will be offered the opportunity to become full-time professionals. This is a voluntary scheme, existing referees can choose to remain part-time if preferred. Full-time referees would be employed on contracts that include scheduled training, fitness monitoring, rule updates, performance analysis, and travel preparation. They would be subject to annual review and development plans aligned with UEFA refereeing standards. This model reflects those already in place across Europe and would professionalise the top level of officiating in Scotland without forcing out experienced part-time officials. Training and Development Roles Full-time Premiership referees would also have a coaching and mentoring responsibility: They will be assigned to support officials in the Championship, League 1, and regional divisions. In areas such as Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Highlands, they will deliver workshops, observe lower-league matches, and provide one-to-one coaching. This initiative strengthens regional referee development and creates a clear pathway to the top for new and aspiring officials. UEFA-Level Referees Officials who have attained UEFA certification or who regularly officiate in European competition will be strongly encouraged to become full-time. This allows more preparation for UEFA duties and ensures domestic standards benefit from their experience. These referees will act as senior figures within the referee team and help raise the overall quality of officiating in Scotland. Transparency and Match Review A new emphasis will be placed on post-match analysis and transparency: Full-time referees will be required to review match footage, attend performance debriefs, and complete official post-match reports with key decision justifications. This will increase public trust in officials and provide an internal platform for learning and improving decision-making. A designated Refereeing Standards Panel will oversee all referee reviews, including issuing public statements on major decisions if appropriate. In addition, referee performances will be regularly monitored and ranked, forming part of their eligibility for high-profile matches, finals, or international assignments. This structure supports higher standards, consistency, and long-term development of refereeing across Scotland, while respecting the experience and commitment of current part-time officials. Contact: Joe Quinn Email: joseph.a.quinn@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07967 213586

March 11, 2026

Scottish Football Restructuring Proposal Phase 3: Cup Competitions

A comprehensive new proposal to restructure Scottish football has been launched by supporter and former SPFL scout Joe Quinn, including a restructuring of the cup competitions Cup competitions are a vital part of the Scottish football calendar, offering clubs at all levels a chance at silverware, national exposure, and the opportunity to compete against teams outside their division. While the Scottish Cup will remain unchanged in this proposal, the League Cup, currently branded as the Premier Sports Cup, will undergo a complete structural overhaul to ensure a more merit-based and engaging format. Scottish Cup (No Changes) The Scottish Cup, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious knockout competition, will remain unchanged in both format and eligibility. Open to clubs from all levels of the Scottish football pyramid (including amateur and junior clubs, where licensed). Straight knockout format with single-leg ties. Replays only in early rounds (as per current structure). Neutral venues for semi-finals and final. The cup winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa League qualification rounds. This competition continues to honour tradition, offer upset opportunities, and maintain wide participation across Scottish football. League Cup – Premier Sports Cup Format Overview The current group stage format of the League Cup will be scrapped in favour of a streamlined, knockout-based competition. The new format introduces staggered entry points based on league position and European involvement while maintaining competitive integrity and excitement throughout. All matches will be single-leg ties. There will be no byes or wildcard entries; every team must earn its place by playing. League Cup – 61 Team Format Total Teams: 61 42 SPFL clubs 8 clubs from the National League (Tier 4) 8 clubs from the National League North (Tier 4) 1 club via a two-legged playoff between the West of Scotland Premier Division champion and the East of Scotland League champion This structure maintains inclusivity across the pyramid while offering a competitive national cup format. Round 1 – 32 Teams Scheduled: September Participants: 30 lower-ranked SPFL clubs (Championship, League One, League Two) 14 Premiership clubs (positions 6–12) 8 National League clubs 8 National League North clubs 1 Playoff Winner (West of Scotland v East of Scotland) Format: 27 single-leg knockout ties Home advantage decided by draw Progression: 27 winners advance to Round 2 Round 2 – 16 Teams Scheduled: October / November Participants: 27 Round 1 winners 5 Premiership clubs competing in Europe Format: 16 single-leg knockout ties Home advantage decided by draw Progression: 16 winners advance to Round 3 Round 3 – 16 Teams Scheduled: December Participants: 16 Round 2 winners Format: 8 single-leg knockout ties Home advantage determined by draw Progression: 8 winners advance to Quarter-finals Quarter-finals – 8 Teams 4 single-leg ties The home team is decided by draw. S Semi-finals – 4 Teams Played at Hampden Park Single-leg knockout Final – 2 Teams Played at Hampden Park Showpiece event of the competition No Byes Policy A key principle of this restructuring is that no club receives a bye or wildcard. While clubs enter at different rounds based on league position and European involvement, every team must play to progress, emphasising fairness, merit, and inclusivity. This modernised structure creates a more dynamic, merit-based competition that brings fans meaningful knockout football from the first round onward— while giving smaller clubs genuine opportunities to shine on the national stage. Contact: Joe Quinn Email: joseph.a.quinn@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07967 213586

March 8, 2026

SPFL