The fresh Scottish Premiership campaign is set to launch with plenty of excitement, and every match from the opening weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The kickoff arrives with Rangers travelling to face Dundee United on Friday, and the final fixture of the weekend sees Celtic take on Dundee on Monday night. After a dramatic conclusion to last season—where Celtic secured the title on the final day against Hearts—this year promises a host of new storylines.
There are fresh faces in the dugouts, a slew of player movements, rule tweaks, and other developments that will shape the competition. To help fans keep track, here’s an A‑Z guide covering everything that’s new or noteworthy for the 2024‑25 Scottish Premiership. A – Astroturf: The league now has just one artificial surface remaining.
Kilmarnock have reverted to a natural grass pitch at Rugby Park, and Livingston’s relegation means the Falkirk Stadium is the sole club still playing on a synthetic surface. B – Broken Hearts: The heartbreak of missing out on a top‑flight title after a 66‑year wait has led to a major squad overhaul. Captain Lawrence Shankland left for Rangers despite being under a three‑year contract, head coach Derek McInnes also departed, and influential midfielder Cammy Devlin followed suit, rejecting a new deal at Tynecastle and heading to Ibrox. C – Captains: Several clubs have appointed new leaders.
Aberdeen, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren will all see different players wearing the armband after the exits of Graeme Shinnie, Lawrence Shankland, Brad Lyons, James Tavernier and Mark O’Hara. D – Deadline Day: The Scottish Premiership transfer window closes on 3 September at 5 pm, two days later than the English Premier League deadline. So even if a club appears quiet now, there’s still ample time to finalize deals before the window shuts.
E – Europe: Five Scottish clubs entered European qualifiers this summer, but this season the race is for the top four spots. Scotland’s UEFA coefficient has slipped, meaning a likely loss of one European place, making the battle for those four positions even more intense.
F – Flag Days: Champions Celtic will again hoist the league flag when they meet Dundee on Monday, while newly promoted St Johnstone will raise the Championship flag at home against Kilmarnock on Sunday. G – Gordon: Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be absent from Scottish football for the first time since the SPFL’s inception in 2013. The 43‑year‑old Hearts legend announced his retirement after Scotland’s World Cup exit, ending a career that began 25 years ago. H – Hogh: Celtic have broken their transfer record by signing Danish striker Kasper Hogh from Bodø Glimt for £11 million plus add‑ons.
Hogh arrives to fill the void left by Daizen Maeda, who departed for Ipswich Town. I – International Breaks: Following the World Cup, the international calendar now features just two windows instead of three, creating an almost three‑week pause for club football in September and October.
J – Johansson: Motherwell’s new manager Alfred Johansson, aged 35, steps into the role after Jens Berthel Askou left for Toulouse. Johansson becomes the youngest head coach in the league. K – Kenobi: Aberdeen’s left‑back Nesta Guinness‑Walker boasts a unique lineage—he is the great‑grandson of Sir Alec Guinness, famed for portraying Obi‑Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy.
L – Law Changes: VAR can now intervene on second‑yellow‑card incidents, mirroring the World Cup’s protocol. Additionally, players have a five‑second limit to take throw‑ins and goal‑kicks, substitutes must leave the field within ten seconds, and medical treatment breaks are capped at one minute. M – McInnes: Rangers begin the season with a new manager for the fifth consecutive year.
Derek McInnes is tasked with achieving what his five immediate predecessors could not—lifting the league trophy. N – New Mascot: St Johnstone are searching for a replacement for Brogan the Beagle, whose eleven‑year tenure as the club’s mascot has come to an end.
O – O’Neill: At 74, Martin O’Neill returns to Celtic for what is technically his fourth spell. He guided the club to a league‑and‑cup double last season after taking over from Brendan Rodgers and then Wilfried Nancy.
P – Promoted: St Johnstone have reclaimed a place in the Premiership after a single season away, becoming the sole promoted side following St Mirren’s play‑off victory over Partick Thistle. Q – Questionable Haircuts: New‑season trims are inevitable, and Falkirk’s League Cup trialist David Ninkovic may find himself the subject of some light‑hearted teasing over his latest haircut.
R – Robinson’s Rebuild: Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson embarks on his first full campaign at Pittodrie. The club also welcomes former Scotland captain and Sky Sports pundit Rachel Corsie to its board of directors, adding a fresh perspective to the management structure. S – Six: Six games from the opening weekend will be aired live on Sky Sports, meaning all twelve clubs will be featured on the broadcaster’s platform for the first time in a single weekend.
T – Transfers: Over 80 new signings have already been recorded across the twelve Premiership clubs, and with more than a month left before the transfer window closes, further activity is expected. U – Ultras: Every Premiership club now boasts an organized ultras group, aiming to amplify atmosphere and vocal support throughout the season. V – Vrancken: Hearts have appointed Wouter Vrancken as manager, replacing Derek McInnes. Vrancken, who was named Belgian Manager of the Year last season and narrowly missed a league title with Genk in 2023, is tasked with reigniting a title challenge.
W – World Cup: The league kicks off just twelve days after the World Cup final. While Spain’s victorious squad featured no Scottish players, the Premiership has welcomed two Spanish imports—Unax Alvarez at St Johnstone and Samuel Ramos at St Mirren.
X – Xperience: Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, now 35, becomes the oldest player in the division—a coincidence that mirrors his manager Alfred Johansson’s age. Y – Years: It has been 41 years since a club outside the Old Firm lifted the league trophy. Hearts came close last season; the question now is whether they or another challenger can break the duopoly. Z – Zero: Zero Scottish Premiership matches from the opening weekend will be omitted from Sky Sports’ live coverage.
The action begins at Tannadice on Friday night as Rangers face Dundee United. Fans can also stream the Premiership via NOW, and a reminder to use Chrome for the best video experience is included throughout the guide. Enjoy the new season, and good luck to all clubs in what promises to be a thrilling campaign!