SPFL announce key dates for next season

Here are some dates in the SPFL diary for the second half of this year and the start of 2026.

The SPFL has announced that the William Hill Premiership, William Hill Championship, William Hill League 1 and William Hill League 2 will all kick off on the weekend of August 1-3 2025. 

The William Hill Premiership will conclude on the weekend of May 16/17 2026, while clubs in the Championship, League 1 and League 2 will finish their regular seasons on the first weekend in May, before the play-offs get under way. 

The second season of the expanded UEFA club competitions – the league phase of the Champions League and Europa League again runs until the end of January 2026  exerts additional pressure on the domestic calendar.  

As was the case for 2024/25, there will be no scheduled William Hill Premiership winter break in season 2025/26. 

The group stage of the Premier Sports Cup will start on the weekend of July 12/13, 2025 with the final scheduled for Sunday December 14 2025. 

 To enable the tournament to be completed before Christmas, the quarter-finals will, as in the current season, be played on a weekend due to the lack of a midweek slot. 

SPFL Chief Operating Officer Calum Beattie said: “We are only just into the second half of the season across the four divisions and there is so much to look forward to in the remaining months of season 2024/25. 

“However, we are well aware that clubs and supporters need to plan ahead. We are therefore pleased to be able to confirm start and end dates for season 2025/26, as well as the full schedule for the Premier Sports Cup. 

“We will again have five clubs competing in UEFA club competitions in season 2025/26 and, of course, we are all hoping that next season ends with Scotland’s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” 

SUMMARY OF KEY DATES FOR SEASON 2025/26 

WILLIAM HILL PREMIERSHIP 

Fixture round 1 
Weekend of August 2/3, 2025 

Fixture round 33 
Weekend of April 11/12, 2026 

Fixture round 38 
Weekend of May 16/17, 2026 

William Hill Premiership play-off final 
Thursday May 21 & Sunday May 24, 2026 

WILLIAM HILL CHAMPIONSHIP 

Fixture round 1 
Weekend of August 1/2, 2025 

Fixture round 36 
Friday May 1, 2026 

WILLIAM HILL LEAGUE 1 & WILLIAM HILL LEAGUE 2 

Fixture round 1 
Saturday August 2, 2025 

Fixture round 36 
Saturday May 2, 2026 

PREMIER SPORTS CUP 

Group stage 
MD1: Weekend of July 12/13, 2025 
MD2: Midweek of July 15/16, 2025 
MD3: Weekend of July 19/20, 2025 
MD4: Midweek of July 22/23, 2025 
MD5: Weekend of July 26/27, 2025 

Second round 
Weekend of August 16/17, 2025 

Quarter-finals 
Weekend of September 20/21, 2025 

Semi-finals 
Weekend of November 1/2, 2025 

Final 
Sunday December 14, 2025