The SPFL has confirmed the seeding pots for the 2026/27 Premier Sports Cup group stage draw.
The draw will take place tomorrow, Wednesday May 27, at 1.00pm.
Premier Sports will show the draw live online, and it will also be broadcast live on the SPFL YouTube channel.
Teams Participating in the Group Stage
The five SPFL clubs competing in UEFA competitions will enter the tournament at the knock-out stage, with the group stage draw involving the remaining 37 SPFL clubs.
Linlithgow Rose, Brora Rangers and Brechin City will participate as guest clubs for 2026/27 as Lowland League champions, Highland League champions and Highland League runners-up respectively.
There is no regionalised aspect to the draw, as has been the case for the previous four seasons.
The 40 participating clubs have been split into five seeding pots based on final league placings in season 2025/26. One club from each pot will be drawn into the eight Groups A-H.
Key Dates for the 2026/27 Premier Sports Cup
The 2026/27 Premier Sports Cup will kick off on the weekend of July 11/12, with further group stage matchdays on July 14/15, July 18/19, July 21/22 and July 25/26.
The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join Celtic, Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian – the five clubs who have qualified for Europe – in the last 16 on the weekend of August 15/16.
The quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of September 12/13 and the semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of October 31 and November 1. The Premier Sports Cup final will take place at Hampden Park on Sunday December 13.
Seeding Pot Breakdown
The seeding pots are as follows:
- POT 1: Falkirk, Dundee United, Dundee, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Livingston, St Johnstone
- POT 2: Partick Thistle, Arbroath, Dunfermline Athletic, Raith Rovers, Queen’s Park, Ayr United, Greenock Morton, Airdrieonians
- POT 3: Ross County, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Stenhousemuir, Queen of the South, Alloa Athletic, Peterhead, Montrose, Cove Rangers
- POT 4: East Fife, Hamilton Academical, Kelty Hearts, East Kilbride, The Spartans, Clyde, Forfar Athletic, Stranraer
- POT 5: Elgin City, Annan Athletic, Stirling Albion, Dumbarton, Edinburgh City, Linlithgow Rose, Brora Rangers, Brechin City
Prize Money Maintained
Last season’s prize money has been maintained for the 2026/27 tournament, with all participating clubs again guaranteed a minimum of £30,000. Reaching the last 16 is worth at least £60,000 while the cup winners will receive £400,000 and the runners-up £200,000.
The group stage matchdays are scheduled for the weekend of July 11/12, midweek of July 14/15, weekend of July 18/19, midweek of July 21/22 and weekend of July 25/26.