Scottish League Cup 2026/27: Draw, format, dates, previous winners & more

St Mirren are the reigning Scottish League Cup winners, having beaten Celtic 3-1 in a monumental upset in the 2025 final.

Scotland's secondary cup competition has been won by either Rangers or Celtic in eight of the last 11 years, with St Johnstone the last non-Old Firm victors under Callum Davidson in 2021, prior to St Mirren's success last time out.

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.

The 40 participating teams are given seedings based on their league finish in 2025/26, 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 2026/27 dates

Group stage

• Matchday 1: Weekend of 11/12 July
• Matchday 2: Midweek of 14/15 July
• Matchday 3: Weekend of 18/19 July
• Matchday 4: Midweek of 21/22 July
• Matchday 5: Weekend of 25/26 July

Second round

• Weekend of August 15/16

Quarter-finals

• Weekend of September 12/13

Semi-finals

• Weekend of October 31/November 1

Final

• Sunday 13th December, Kick-off time TBD.

Scottish League Cup draw

The groups for the 2026/27 Scottish League cup will be confirmed closer to the start of the competition.

Scottish League Cup previous winners

• 2025/26 - St Mirren
• 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).