Scottish League Cup 2025/26: Draw, format, dates, previous winners & more

Celtic are the reigning Scottish League Cup winners, with the Hoops beating Rangers 5-4 on penalties after drawing 3-3 after extra-time in the 2024 final.

Scotland's secondary cup competition has been won by either Rangers or Celtic in eight of the last 10 years, with St Johnstone the last non-Old Firm victors under Callum Davidson in 2021.

We discuss all you need to know about the Scottish League Cup.

Scottish League Cup format

Since 2016/17, the Scottish League Cup has used a group stage format.

The initial group stages comprise of 40 teams - the 37 league clubs who are not competing in UEFA competitions and the three highest-ranked non-league sides.

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, runners-up Rangers, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren have received a bye through to the knockout rounds of the Scottish League Cup due to their participation in Europe, with Buckie Thistle, Brechin City and East Kilbride the three non-league participants in this year's group stages.

The 40 participating teams are given seedings based on their league finish in 2024/25, and drawn into eight groups of five.

Each competing team in the group stages plays each other once, with the eight section winners and three best runners-up progressing through to the Scottish League Cup knockout stages, in which the five sides competing in European competitions enter the tournament.

Both semi-finals and the final of the Scottish League Cup are played at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Scottish League Cup 2025/26 dates

Group stage

• Matchday 1: Weekend of 12/13 July
• Matchday 2: Midweek of 15/16 July
• Matchday 3: Weekend of 19/20 July
• Matchday 4: Midweek of 22/23 July
• Matchday 5: Weekend of 26/27 July

Second round

• Weekend of August 16/17

Quarter-finals

• Weekend of September 20/21

Semi-finals

• Weekend of November 1/2

Final

• Sunday 14th December, Kick-off time TBD.

Scottish League Cup draw

Group A

• Falkirk

• Queen's Park

• Cove Rangers

• The Spartans

• Brechin City

Group B

• Ross County

• Partick Thistle

• Queen of the South

• Edinburgh City

• Stranraer

Group C

• Dundee

• Airdrieonians

• Alloa Athletic

• Montrose

• Bonnyrigg Rose

Group D

• St Mirren

• Ayr United

• Arbroath

• Annan Athletic

• Forfar Athletic

Group E

• Hearts

• Dunfermline

• Hamilton

• Dumbarton

• Stirling Albion

Group F

• St Johnstone

• Raith Rovers

• Inverness Caledonian Thistle

• Elgin City

• East Kilbride

Group G

• Motherwell

• Greenock Morton

• Stenhousemuir

• Peterhead

• Clyde

Group H

• Kilmarnock

• Livingstone

• Kelty Hearts

• East Fife

• Brora Rangers

Scottish League Cup previous winners

• 2024/25 - Celtic
• 2023/24 - Rangers
• 2022/23 - Celtic
• 2021/22 - Celtic
• 2020/21 - St Johnstone
• 2019/20 - Celtic
• 2018/19 - Celtic
• 2017/18 - Celtic
• 2016/17 - Celtic
• 2015/16 - Ross County
• 2014/15 - Celtic
• 2013/14 - Aberdeen
• 2012/13 - St Mirren
• 2011/12 - Kilmarnock
• 2010/11 - Rangers
• 2009/10 - Rangers
• 2008/09 - Celtic
• 2007/08 - Rangers
• 2006/07 - Hibernian
• 2005/06 - Celtic
• 2004/05 - Rangers
• 2003/04 - Livingston
• 2002/03 - Rangers
• 2001/02 - Rangers
• 2000/01 - Celtic

(*Winners since 2000/01 season. Competition began in 1946/47).