2024–25 Scottish League Cup

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Scottish League Cup 2024–25
Region	Scotland
Dates	13 July–15 December 2024
Number of teams	45
Defending champions	Rangers
Total matches played	64
Total goals scored	215
Top goal scorer	Ben Wilson (5 goals)
← 2023–24	→

The 2024–25 Scottish League Cup, also known as the Premier Sports Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the 79th season of Scotland's second-most prestigious football knockout competition. Rangers are the defending champions.

Schedule

Round	First match date	Fixtures	Clubs
Group stage	13 July 2024	80	45 → 16
Second round	17 August 2024	8	16 → 80
Quarter-finals	21 September 2024	4	8 → 4
Semi-finals	2 November 2024	2	4 → 2
Final	15 December 2024	1	2 → 1

Format

The competition begins with eight groups of five teams. The five clubs initially competing in the UEFA Champions League (Celtic and Rangers), Europa League (Heart of Midlothian and Kilmarnock) and Conference League (St Mirren) receive a bye to the second round. The group stage consists of 40 teams: all remaining teams that competed across the SPFL in 2023–24, the 2023–24 Highland Football League champions (Buckie Thistle) and runners-up (Brechin City), and the 2023–24 Lowland Football League champions (East Kilbride).

The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the three best runners-up, progress to the second round (last 16). At this stage, the competition reverts to the traditional knock-out format. The three group winners with the highest points total and the European entrants are seeded.

Bonus point system

The traditional point system of awarding three points for a win and one point for a draw is used. In addition, for each group stage match that finishes in a draw, a penalty shoot-out takes place, with the winner being awarded a bonus point.

Group stage

Main article:2024–25 Scottish League Cup group stage

The teams are seeded according to their final league positions in 2023–24 and drawn into eight groups, with each group comprising one team from each pot. The draw for the group stage took place on 29 May 2024 and was broadcast live on the Premier Sports and SPFL YouTube channels.

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		ABE	AIR	QOS	EKB	DUM
1	Aberdeen	3	3	0	0	0	9	1	+8	9	Qualification for the second round		—	2–1	—	—	27 Jul
2	Airdrieonians	3	2	0	0	1	13	5	+8	6	Possible qualification for the second round		—	—	27 Jul	8–0	—
3	Queen of the South	3	2	0	0	1	5	4	+1	6			0–3	—	—	—	2–0
4	East Kilbride (E)	4	0	1	0	3	2	16	−14	2			0–4	—	1–3	—	—
5	Dumbarton (E)	3	0	0	1	2	4	7	−3	1			—	3–4	—	1–1p	—

Updated to match(es) played on 23 July 2024. Source: BBC
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
(E) Eliminated

Final

Main article:2024 Scottish League Cup Final

15 December 2024	Celtic	v	Rangers	Glasgow
15:30				Stadium: Hampden Park

Media coverage

The domestic broadcasting rights for the competition are held exclusively by Premier Sports, who will broadcast between 12 and 16 live matches per season, as well as highlights.

The following matches will be broadcast live on UK television:

Round	Date	Match
Group stage	13 July 2024	Queen of the South v Aberdeen
	16 July 2024	Hibernian v Queen's Park
	20 July 2024	Dundee United v Ayr United
	23 July 2024	Aberdeen v Airdrieonians
	28 July 2024	Motherwell v Partick Thistle