Following yesterday’s announcement that SPFL League One and Two and Highland League clubs who remain in the competition are permitted to return to play immediately, the Scottish Cup is now set to recommence this month.
The competition will resume on Tuesday, 23 March in order to complete the outstanding ties from the Second Round before the Third Round is played on the weekend of 3 April.
The last two weekends in April will see the Fourth and Fifth Rounds of the competition completed prior to the Semi-Finals which will be held across the weekend of 8 May.
The 2021 Scottish Cup Final will bring the curtain down on the season at Hampden Park on Saturday, 22 May.
The competition will see the introduction of concussion substitutes on a trial basis, following approval by the Scottish FA Board and confirmation by the International Football Association Board [IFAB].
In the event of an actual or suspected concussion, clubs will be allowed to use a maximum of two concussions replacements, regardless of the number of substitutions already made. The opposition will be permitted to make another change at the time a concussion substitution is made.
Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive said: “The Scottish Cup is our flagship competition and we are pleased that the temporary suspension of the lower leagues has now been lifted to allow the matches to resume.
“With the green shoots of hope emerging with the continuing successful rollout of the vaccination programme and the announcement of restrictions easing in the future, the news that the Scottish Cup Final will be played in May at Hampden Park will hopefully come as a further boost to Scottish football fans this week.
“The remaining rounds will be played in quick succession and with the fixtures coming thick and fast as the domestic season comes to a conclusion, the showpiece Scottish Cup Final will once again provide an exciting finale for the Scottish football season.”
Scottish Cup 2020/21 Fixture Dates
Second Round: Tuesday, 23 March
Third Round: Saturday, 3 April
Fourth Round: Saturday, 17 April
Fifth Round: Saturday, 24 April
Semi-Finals: Saturday, 8 & Sunday, 9 May
Final: Saturday, 22 May
Second Round Fixtures
Arbroath v Falkirk
Buckie Thistle v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Brora Rangers v. Heart of Midlothian
Dumbarton v Huntly
Elgin City v Ayr United
Formartine United v Annan Athletic
Greenock Morton v Dunfermline Athletic
Keith v Clyde
Nairn County v Montrose
Partick Thistle v Cowdenbeath
Peterhead v Stenhousemuir
Stirling Albion v Raith Rovers
Third Round Fixtures
Brora Rangers or Heart of Midlothian v Stranraer
Celtic v Arbroath or Falkirk
Dumbarton or Huntly v Aberdeen
Dundee United v Partick Thistle or Cowdenbeath
Dundee v St Johnstone
East Fife v Greenock Morton or Dunfermline Athletic
Elgin City or Ayr United v Keith or Clyde
Forfar Athletic v Edinburgh City
Formartine United or Annan Athletic v Motherwell
Fraserburgh v Nairn County or Montrose
Hamilton Academical v St Mirren
Livingston v Stirling Albion or Raith Rovers
Peterhead or Stenhousemuir v Kilmarnock
Queen of the South v Hibernian
Rangers v Cove Rangers
Ross County v Buckie Thistle or Inverness Caledonian Thistle
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
