Scottish League Cup 2024/25: Draw, format, dates, previous winners & more

James Wilson Updated: 04 Nov 24 09:00

Rangers are the reigning Scottish League Cup winners, with the Gers beating Aberdeen 1-0 in the 2023 final courtesy of a James Tavernier winner.

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 ahead of the group stage draw for the 2024/25 edition of the tournament.

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 2023/24, 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.