What you need to know about the new-look Lowland League: teams, promotion, relegation and cups
Having played out a transitional season last term, Park’s Motor Group Lowland League clubs now finally have some clarity on how the upcoming campaign will look after reconstruction of the fifth tier was agreed last summer.
The pyramid set-up at tier five will now see an East and West Lowland League run alongside the Scottish Highland Football League. That was what we already knew – but the clubs involved in each division has now been finalised along with some other key details.
And here, the Falkirk Herald will tell you all you need to know about the new-look Lowland League.
WHO GOES WHERE?
We’ll start with the East. Owing to the number of East-based clubs already in the Lowland League, that was the simplest division to sort out. All of our local district teams will play in this division, with last season’s champions Linlithgow Rose being joined by the Highland League runners-up Brechin City – who requested a move to the East from the Highland League to help ‘fix the geographical imbalance of the fifth tier’.
The promoted clubs are Lochee United, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Musselburgh Athletic and local club Dunipace. Making up the 16-team division, including local duo East Stirlingshire and Bo’ness United are Bonnyrigg Rose, Tranent, Broxburn Athletic, Berwick Rangers, Cowdenbeath, Gala Fairydean Rovers, Civil Service Strollers and the University of Stirling.
For fullness, the Highland League has replaced Brechin City with North Caley League winners Invergordon so it can continue as an 18-team division.
The West was a bit more difficult to sort. Unlike guest club Hearts B, who decided not to take up an option of a final year in the new East division, Celtic B have chosen to take part in the West division. So that’s a 17-team league for season 2026/27 with one side having sit idle each matchday.
Last season’s Lowland League runners-up Clydebank prop up that division and they are joined by only four of last season’s opponents in Albion Rovers, Caley Braves, Cumbernauld Colts and Gretna 2008.
Joining them to make up the 16 are South of Scotland movers Dalbeattie Star and Newtown Stewart with West of Scotland clubs Auchinleck Talbot, Cumnock Juniors, Troon, Pollok, Largs Thistle, Johnstone Burgh, Kilwinning Rangers, Renfrew and Beith Juniors.
PROMOTION?
The opportunity to progress to the SPFL is still open, for now. The two legged play-off against Club 42 will still take place, with the Scottish League Two bottom finishers still at home for the second.
The candidate club from the fifth tier will be decided via a play-off between the Highland, West and East winners. Each club will play the other champion clubs once over the space of one week.
Home advantage and the fixture schedule will be decided by drawing lots ahead of the first play-offs ties in this arrangement.
A reminder here that in order for this to actually happen, all three league winners would need to be eligible for promotion. They’d need a bronze license or special dispensation. Linlithgow Rose last term were booted out of the pyramid play-off for not reaching bronze status.
RELEGATION?
In theory, the champion clubs from the South of Scotland and West of Scotland Premier Divisions would earn promotion to the West with East of Scotland and Midlands Football League winners going up to the East. That would see at least two clubs in each Lowland League being relegated.
Again, this is only if the respective league winners from the sixth tier have the correct license. For the fifth tier, that is entry level including financial fair play rules. The amount of clubs relegated from a division would also be affected by an SPFL club being relegated into the East or West.
All of these factors will be taken into place so that both the East and West division has the ‘established number’ of clubs for season 2027/28 which is 16.
UP FOR THE CUPS?
Nothing will change for the upcoming campaign. Clubs in the Lowland League will still compete in various cup competitions, with the main three being the Scottish Cup, the South Challenge Cup and the Lowland League Cup.
A number of clubs, mainly from the West, will take part in the Scottish Communities Cup while many clubs from the East will still play in the of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.
The South Challenge Cup is set to be disbanded for season 2027/28 with a new national cup competition for clubs below the SPFL to be introduced. Highland League sides could be included in this, and it has not yet been confirmed how this would run.
A number of teams will also be invited to take part in the SPFL’s challenge cup competition, the KDM Evolution Trophy. Entry to that was through an application process to the SPFL board with successful clubs to be confirmed in due course.
The Premier Sports Cup group stages will include last year’s Lowland League champions Linlithgow Rose, Brechin City and Brora Rangers.