Football tournament season
2024–25 Scottish League Cup (group stage) Country Scotland Dates 13 July 2024 – 28 July 2024 Teams 40
The 2024–25 Scottish League Cup group stage will be played from 13 July to 28 July 2024.
[1]
Format
The competition begins with eight groups of five teams; each team plays one match only against each other team in the group, either home or away, for a total of two home and two away matches.
[2] 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 ).
[2]
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.
[3]
The draw for the group stage took place on 29 May 2024 and was broadcast live on the Premier Sports and SPFL
YouTube channels.
[4]
Teams
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.
Seeding
Teams in Bold qualified for the
second round .
Source:
[2]
Group stage
All times are
BST (
UTC +1 ).
Group A
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[5] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Dumbarton v East Kilbride
Queen of the South v Aberdeen
Airdrieonians v East Kilbride
Queen of the South v Dumbarton
Dumbarton v Airdrieonians
East Kilbride v Aberdeen
Aberdeen v Airdrieonians
East Kilbride v Queen of the South
Aberdeen v Dumbarton
Airdrieonians v Queen of the South
Group B
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[7] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Falkirk v Dundee United
Stenhousemuir v Buckie Thistle
Ayr United v Falkirk
Dundee United v Stenhousemuir
Buckie Thistle v Falkirk
Dundee United v Ayr United
Stenhousemuir v Ayr United
Buckie Thistle v Dundee United
Ayr United v Buckie Thistle
Falkirk v Stenhousemuir
Group C
Pos
Team
Pld
W
PW
PL
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
HIB
QPA
KEL
PET
ELG
1
Hibernian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Qualification for the
second round
—
16 Jul
—
27 Jul
—
2
Queen's Park
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Possible qualification for the second round
—
—
27 Jul
—
23 Jul
3
Kelty Hearts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Jul
—
—
23 Jul
—
4
Peterhead
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
13 Jul
—
—
20 Jul
5
Elgin City
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
13 Jul
—
16 Jul
—
—
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[8] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Elgin City v Hibernian
Peterhead v Queen's Park
Elgin City v Kelty Hearts
Hibernian v Queen's Park
Kelty Hearts v Hibernian
Peterhead v Elgin City
Kelty Hearts v Peterhead
Queen's Park v Elgin City
Hibernian v Peterhead
Queen's Park v Kelty Hearts
Group D
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[9] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Annan Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Bonnyrigg Rose v Dundee
Annan Athletic v Bonnyrigg Rose
Arbroath v Dundee
Arbroath v Annan Athletic
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Bonnyrigg Rose
Dundee v Annan Athletic
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Arbroath
Bonnyrigg Rose v Arbroath
Dundee v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Group E
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[10] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Forfar Athletic v Livingston
The Spartans v Dunfermline Athletic
Cove Rangers v The Spartans
Dunfermline Athletic v Forfar Athletic
Forfar Athletic v Cove Rangers
Livingston v Dunfermline Athletic
Cove Rangers v Livingston
The Spartans v Forfar Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic v Cove Rangers
Livingston v The Spartans
Group F
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[11] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Brechin City v St Johnstone
East Fife v Greenock Morton
Alloa Athletic v East Fife
Greenock Morton v Brechin City
Brechin City v Alloa Athletic
St Johnstone v Greenock Morton
Alloa Athletic v St Johnstone
East Fife v Brechin City
Greenock Morton v Alloa Athletic
St Johnstone v East Fife
Group G
Pos
Team
Pld
W
PW
PL
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
MOT
PAR
MON
EDI
CLY
1
Motherwell
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Qualification for the
second round
—
28 Jul
—
13 Jul
—
2
Partick Thistle
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Possible qualification for the second round
—
—
13 Jul
—
23 Jul
3
Montrose
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
16 Jul
—
—
23 Jul
—
4
Edinburgh City
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
20 Jul
—
—
17 Jul
5
Clyde
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Jul
—
27 Jul
—
—
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[12] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Motherwell v Edinburgh City
Partick Thistle v Montrose
Montrose v Motherwell
Edinburgh City v Clyde
Clyde v Motherwell
Edinburgh City v Partick Thistle
Montrose v Edinburgh City
Partick Thistle v Clyde
Clyde v Montrose
Motherwell v Partick Thistle
Group H
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[13] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
Matches
Stirling Albion v Raith Rovers
Stranraer v Ross County
Hamilton Academical v Stirling Albion
Raith Rovers v Stranraer
Ross County v Raith Rovers
Stranraer v Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical v Ross County
Stirling Albion v Stranraer
Raith Rovers v Hamilton Academical
Ross County v Stirling Albion
Best runners-up
Pos
Grp
Team
Pld
W
PW
PL
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
A
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Qualification for the
second round
2
B
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
C
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
D
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
E
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
F
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
G
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
H
TBD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
First match(es) will be played: 13 July 2024. Source:
[14] Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.
[6]
References
Domestic leagues Domestic cups European competitions Related to
national team Transfers Club seasons
Premiership Championship League One League Two