The 2025–26 Scottish Cup (known as the Scottish Gas Men's Scottish Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 141st season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition.
Aberdeen were the defending champions after defeating Celtic in the 2025 final. They were defeated in the quarter-finals by Dunfermline Athletic.
Calendar The dates for the 2025–26 Scottish Cup were announced on 22 July 2025. RoundOriginal dateNumber of fixturesClubsNew EntriesLeagues entering at this roundPreliminary round one9 August 20254132 → 12887 qualifiers and 1 licensed clubPreliminary round two30 August 202526 128 → 102 4848 licensed clubsFirst round27 September 202530102 → 723418 Highland League teams16 Lowland League teamsSecond round25 October 20252072 → 521010 League Two teamsThird round29 November 20252052 → 322010 Championship teams10 League One teamsFourth round17 January 20261632 → 161212 Premiership teamsFifth round7 February 2026816 → 8NoneQuarter-finals7 March 202648 → 4NoneSemi-finals18 & 19 April 202624 → 2NoneFinal23 May 202612 → 1None
Preliminary round one The draw for preliminary round one was made on 23 July 2025. The seven teams without an SFA club licence were required to be included in the first preliminary round draw – namely Culter (North Region Juniors champions), Dundee North End (Midlands League champions), Invergordon (North Caledonian League champions), Johnstone Burgh (Junior Cup winners), Lochar Thistle (South of Scotland League champions), Steins Thistle (Amateur Cup winners) and Whitburn (Cup Winners' Shield winners). They were drawn into four ties alongside one of the 49 licensed clubs. The remaining 48 licensed clubs received a bye to the second preliminary round.
Johnstone Burgh, Lochar Thistle, Steins Thistle and Whitburn are all taking part in the competition for the first time.
Matches
Preliminary round two The draw for preliminary round two was made on 23 July 2025. St Cadoc's and Tweedmouth Rangers are taking part in the competition for the first time having gained their SFA club licence, along with Bo'ness Athletic who previously competed as a qualifier.
Teams in bold advanced to the first round.
East of Scotland LeagueWest of Scotland LeagueOthersPremier Division Bo'ness Athletic Camelon Juniors Dunbar United Dundonald Bluebell Dunipace Haddington Athletic Hill of Beath Hawthorn Hutchison Vale Jeanfield Swifts Musselburgh Athletic Newtongrange Star Penicuik Athletic Sauchie Juniors St Andrews United Whitburn First Division Blackburn United Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Edinburgh University Preston Athletic Tynecastle Whitehill Welfare Second Division Burntisland Shipyard Coldstream Dalkeith Thistle Third Division Hawick Royal Albert Tweedmouth Rangers Vale of LeithenPremier Division Auchinleck Talbot Cumnock Juniors Glenafton Athletic Johnstone Burgh Kilwinning Rangers Pollok Rutherglen Glencairn St Cadoc's First Division Benburb Darvel Second Division Bonnyton Thistle Threave Rovers Third Division Girvan Glasgow University Fourth Division Carluke RoversMidlands League Prem Div Dundee North End Lochee United Tayport North Caledonian League Golspie Sutherland Invergordon South of Scotland League Creetown Dalbeattie Star Newton Stewart St Cuthbert Wanderers Wigtown & Bladnoch
Matches
Replay
First round The draw for the first round was made on 31 August 2025 at 6pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube channel.
Teams in bold advanced to the second round.
Highland LeagueLowland LeagueEast of Scotland LeagueWest of Scotland LeagueOthersBanks O' Dee Brechin City Brora Rangers Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Deveronvale Formartine United Forres Mechanics Fraserburgh Huntly Inverurie Loco Works Keith Lossiemouth Nairn County Rothes Strathspey Thistle Turriff United Wick AcademyAlbion Rovers Berwick Rangers Bo'ness United Bonnyrigg Rose Broxburn Athletic Caledonian Braves Civil Service Strollers Clydebank Cowdenbeath Cumbernauld Colts East Stirlingshire Gala Fairydean Rovers Gretna 2008 Linlithgow Rose Tranent University of StirlingPremier Division Bo'ness Athletic Camelon Juniors Dundonald Bluebell Hill of Beath Hawthorn Jeanfield Swifts Musselburgh Athletic Newtongrange Star Sauchie Juniors Second Division Burntisland Shipyard ColdstreamPremier Division Auchinleck Talbot Cumnock Juniors Glenafton Athletic Johnstone Burgh Kilwinning Rangers Pollok First Division Benburb Darvel Second Division Bonnyton Thistle Threave Rovers Third Division Glasgow University Fourth Division Carluke RoversMidlands League Prem Div Dundee North End Lochee United Tayport North Caledonian League Invergordon
Matches
Second round The draw for the second round was made on 28 September 2025 at 5pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube channel.
Teams in italics were not known at the time of the draw.
Teams in bold advanced to the third round.
League TwoHighland LeagueLowland LeagueEast of Scotland LeagueWest of Scotland LeagueOthersAnnan Athletic Clyde Dumbarton East Kilbride Edinburgh City Elgin City Forfar Athletic Stirling Albion Stranraer The SpartansBanks O' Dee Brechin City Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Deveronvale Formartine United Fraserburgh Nairn County Turriff United Wick AcademyBonnyrigg Rose Caledonian Braves Clydebank Cumbernauld Colts East Stirlingshire Gretna 2008 Linlithgow Rose Tranent University of StirlingPremier Division Bo'ness Athletic Camelon Juniors Dundonald Bluebell Musselburgh Athletic Sauchie JuniorsPremier Division Auchinleck Talbot Glenafton Athletic Johnstone Burgh First Division BenburbMidlands League Prem Div Dundee North End Tayport
Matches
Third round The draw for the third round was made on 26 October 2025 at 6pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube channel.
Teams in bold advanced to the fourth round.
ChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoTier 5Tier 6Tier 7Airdrieonians Arbroath Ayr United Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Partick Thistle Queen's Park Raith Rovers Ross County St JohnstoneAlloa Athletic Cove Rangers East Fife Hamilton Academical Inverness Caledonian Thistle Kelty Hearts Montrose Peterhead Queen of the South StenhousemuirAnnan Athletic Dumbarton Edinburgh City Elgin City Forfar Athletic Stirling Albion Stranraer The SpartansHighland League Banks O' Dee Brechin City Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Turriff United Lowland League Bonnyrigg Rose Clydebank Linlithgow Rose TranentEast of Scotland League Premier Division Camelon Juniors West of Scotland League Premier Division Auchinleck TalbotWest of Scotland League First Division Benburb
Matches
Fourth round The draw for the fourth round was made on 30 November 2025 during Sportscene on BBC Scotland.
Teams in italics were not known at the time of the draw.
Teams in bold advanced to the fifth round.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoEast of Scotland Football LeagueWest of Scotland Football LeagueAberdeen Celtic Dundee Dundee United Falkirk Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers St MirrenAirdrieonians Arbroath Ayr United Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Partick Thistle Queen's Park Raith Rovers Ross CountyCove Rangers Inverness Caledonian Thistle Kelty Hearts Montrose StenhousemuirAnnan Athletic Elgin City Stranraer The SpartansCamelon JuniorsAuchinleck Talbot
Matches
Fifth round The draw for the fifth round was made on 18 January 2026 following the Auchinleck Talbot v Celtic match live on Premier Sports 1 & the Premier Sports YouTube channel.
Teams in italics were not known at the time of the draw.
Teams in bold advanced to the quarter-finals.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoAberdeen Celtic Dundee Dundee United Falkirk Motherwell Rangers St MirrenAirdrieonians Dunfermline Athletic Partick Thistle Queen's ParkKelty Hearts StenhousemuirElgin City The Spartans
Matches
Quarter-finals The draw for the quarter-finals was made on 8 February 2026 following the Stenhousemuir v Falkirk match live on BBC Scotland. The fixture between Rangers and Celtic made headline news as fans clashed on the pitch following the full time whistle.
Teams in italics were not known at the time of the draw.
Teams in bold advanced to the semi-finals.
PremiershipChampionshipAberdeen Celtic Dundee United Falkirk Rangers St MirrenDunfermline Athletic Partick Thistle
Matches
Semi-finals The draw for the semi-finals was made on 8 March 2026 following the St Mirren v Partick Thistle match live on BBC Scotland.
Teams in bold advanced to the final.
PremiershipChampionshipCeltic Falkirk St MirrenDunfermline Athletic
Matches
Final
Broadcasting The Scottish Cup is broadcast by Premier Sports and BBC Scotland. Premier Sports has the first two picks and the fifth pick of the fourth and fifth rounds, 2 quarter-finals as well as first pick of one semi-final and airs the final non-exclusively. BBC Scotland broadcasts one match per round from the first round onwards and two matches per round from the fourth round to the quarter-finals, as well as one semi-final and the final.
The following matches were selected for live coverage on UK television:
RoundBBC ScotlandPremier SportsFirst roundAuchinleck Talbot v Cumnock JuniorsSecond roundFormartine United v Buckie ThistleThird roundLinlithgow Rose v Queen's ParkFourth roundDunfermline Athletic v HibernianAberdeen v Raith RoversRangers v Annan AthleticHeart of Midlothian v FalkirkAuchinleck Talbot v CelticFifth roundAirdrieonians v St MirrenStenhousemuir v FalkirkCeltic v DundeeAberdeen v MotherwellRangers v Queen's ParkQuarter-finalsFalkirk v Dundee UnitedSt Mirren v Partick ThistleDunfermline Athletic v AberdeenRangers v CelticSemi-finalsDunfermline Athletic v FalkirkDunfermline Athletic v FalkirkCeltic v St MirrenFinalCeltic v Dunfermline Athletic
Notes
References