2025–26 Scottish League Cup group stage

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Scottish League Cup (group stage) 2025–26
Region	Scotland
Dates	11 July 2025–27 July 2025
Number of teams	40
← 2024–25	2026–27 →

The 2025–26 Scottish League Cup group stage will be played from 11 July to 27 July 2025.

Format

The competition begins with eight groups of five teams; each team plays one match against each other team in their group, either home or away, for a total of two home and two away matches. The five clubs initially competing in the UEFA Champions League (Celtic and Rangers), Europa League (Aberdeen and Hibernian) and Conference League (Dundee United) receive a bye to the second round. The group stage consists of 40 teams: all remaining teams that competed across the SPFL in 2024–25, the 2024–25 Highland Football League champions (Brora Rangers) and runners-up (Brechin City), and the 2024–25 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.

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.

The draw for the group stage took place on 28 May 2025 and was broadcast live on the Premier Sports and SPFL YouTube channels.

Teams

The teams are seeded according to their final league positions in 2024–25 and drawn into eight groups, with each group comprising one team from each pot.

Seeding

Teams in Bold qualified for the second round.

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4	Pot 5
01. St Mirren 02. Heart of Midlothian 03. Motherwell 04. Kilmarnock 05. Dundee 06. Ross County 07. St Johnstone 08. Falkirk	09. Livingston 10. Ayr United 11. Partick Thistle 12. Raith Rovers 13. Greenock Morton 14. Dunfermline Athletic 15. Queen's Park 16. Airdrieonians	17. Hamilton Academical 18. Arbroath 19. Cove Rangers 20. Queen of the South 21. Stenhousemuir 22. Alloa Athletic 23. Kelty Hearts 24. Inverness Caledonian Thistle	25. Montrose 26. Annan Athletic 27. Dumbarton 28. Peterhead 29. East Fife 30. Edinburgh City 31. Elgin City 32. The Spartans	33. Stirling Albion 34. Clyde 35. Stranraer 36. Forfar Athletic 37. Bonnyrigg Rose 38. East Kilbride 39. Brora Rangers 40. Brechin City

Group stage

All times are BST (UTC +1).

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		BRE	COV	FAL	QPA	SPA
1	Brechin City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the second round		—	22 Jul	12 Jul	—	—
2	Cove Rangers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Possible qualification for the second round		—	—	19 Jul	—	15 Jul
3	Falkirk	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			—	—	—	22 Jul	26 Jul
4	Queen's Park	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			15 Jul	26 Jul	—	—	—
5	The Spartans	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			19 Jul	—	—	12 Jul	—

First match(es) will be played on 12 July 2025. 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.

Matches

12 July 2025 15:00	Brechin City	v	Falkirk	Glebe Park, Brechin
		Report

12 July 2025 15:00	The Spartans	v	Queen's Park	Ainslie Park, Edinburgh
		Report

15 July 2025 19:45	Cove Rangers	v	The Spartans	Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen
		[ Report]

15 July 2025 19:45	Queen's Park	v	Brechin City	Lesser Hampden, Glasgow
		[ Report]

19 July 2025 15:00	Cove Rangers	v	Falkirk	Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen
		[ Report]

19 July 2025 15:00	The Spartans	v	Brechin City	Ainslie Park, Edinburgh
		[ Report]

22 July 2025 19:45	Brechin City	v	Cove Rangers	Glebe Park, Brechin
		[ Report]

22 July 2025 19:45	Falkirk	v	Queen's Park	Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk
		[ Report]

26 July 2025 15:00	Falkirk	v	The Spartans	Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk
		[ Report]

26 July 2025 15:00	Queen's Park	v	Cove Rangers	Lesser Hampden, Glasgow
		[ Report]