Key SPFL dates as Falkirk's Scottish Premiership opponents are confirmed for season 2025/26

Falkirk have learned their Scottish Premiership opponents for the upcoming 2025/26 season as the Bairns return to the top table after a 15-year long absence.

The Scottish Championship winners will be joined in the Premiership by David Martindale’s Livingston after they defeated Ross County over two legs in the play-off final.

Making up the twelve top-flight clubs next term is champions Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Dundee United, Aberdeen, St Mirren, Hearts, Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Dundee. Relegated County and St Johnstone will make up the 10-team Championship.

Falkirk look forward to Scottish Premiership return

The Bairns’ Premiership campaign will begin on the weekend of Saturday, August 2 with John McGlynn’s team facing 38 fixtures including a league split. The regular season will conclude on the weekend of Saturday, May 16.

There will be no winter break owing to Uefa competitions while the Premier Sports Cup campaign will kick-off the Bairns’ competitive season this summer. The weekend of Saturday, July 12 is when the group stages will get underway with Falkirk facing four matches to try and make the second round.

The draw for the Premier Sports Cup group stages takes place this Wednesday at 1pm. The Scottish Premiership fixture list will be revealed on Friday, June 20. The Bairns’ league fixtures will now be subject to TV selections from Sky Sports and Premier Sports while John McGlynn’s side will also have to contend with VAR.

Falkirk will also take part in the Scottish Cup, entering at the fourth round stage as a top-flight club. That means they will not play in that competition until 2026 with the route to Hampden simpler. The Bairns - who recently announced that the club’s coveted full academy will return - may field a B team in the new-look Challenge Cup competition, the KDM Evolution Trophy. Ten top-flight B teams will play in the Uefa-style league phase of that competition alongside 10 teams from Leagues One and Two.

Falkirk’s key dates for SPFL season 2025/26

28 May - Premier Sports Cup draw

12 June - Scottish transfer window opens

20 June - SPFL Scottish Premiership fixtures released

12/13 July - Premier Sports Cup matchday 1 (Clubs will have one free matchday)

15/16 July - Premier Sports Cup matchday 2

19/20 July - Premier Sports Cup matchday 3

22/23 July - Premier Sports Cup matchday 4

26/27 July - Premier Sports Cup matchday 5

2/3 August - Scottish Premiership opening weekend

29 August - Scottish transfer window set to close

11/12 April - Scottish Premiership week 33 (split fixtures begin)

16/17 May - Scottish Premiership week 38

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