The new campaign in Scotland's top‑flight football is set to launch with plenty of excitement and fresh storylines. Every match scheduled for the opening weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, beginning with Rangers’ away fixture against Dundee United on Friday and concluding with Celtic’s clash with Dundee on Monday.

After a dramatic conclusion to last season—where Celtic secured the championship on the final day against Hearts—the league returns with a host of new managers, player movements, rule adjustments, and other developments that fans will want to keep an eye on. To help you navigate the season, we’ve compiled an A‑Z guide that highlights the most noteworthy changes and talking points for the 2024‑25 Scottish Premiership.

**A – Artificial Surfaces** Only one synthetic pitch remains in the league. Kilmarnock have reverted to natural grass at Rugby Park, and Livingston’s relegation means the Falkirk Stadium now hosts the sole remaining astroturf surface. **B – Broken Hearts** Following last season’s heartbreak—Celtic missed out on a historic first top‑flight title in 66 years on the final day—their squad has undergone significant turnover. 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 after turning down a new deal at Tynecastle.

**C – Captains** Several clubs will see new leaders this term. Aberdeen, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren have all appointed fresh captains after the exits of Graeme Shinnie, Lawrence Shankland, Brad Lyons, James Tavernier and Mark O’Hara respectively. **D – Deadline Day** The Scottish Premiership transfer window shuts on 3 September at 17:00, two days later than the English Premier League deadline. This gives clubs a little extra breathing room to finalise their squads, so supporters need not panic if their team appears quiet on the signing front.

**E – European Ambitions** Five Scottish sides entered European qualifying rounds over the summer, but this season the race will focus on the top four spots. Scotland’s UEFA coefficient has slipped, threatening a reduction in the number of continental berths, so every point will be crucial for clubs aiming for Europe. **F – Flag‑Bearing Fixtures** Champions Celtic will once again hoist the league flag when they face Dundee on Monday, while newly promoted St Johnstone will raise the Championship flag at home against Kilmarnock on Sunday. **G – Gordon’s Farewell** Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will retire after Scotland’s World Cup exit, marking the first season since the SPFL’s inception in 2013 without the 43‑year‑old Hearts legend between the posts.

**H – Heavy Investment** Celtic have broken their transfer record by securing Danish striker Kasper Hogh from Bodø Glimt for a reported £11 million plus add‑ons. Hogh is expected to fill the void left by Daizen Maeda, who departed for Ipswich Town.

**I – International Breaks** Although the World Cup has concluded, the international calendar this year features a long hiatus of almost three weeks across September and October. The schedule has been trimmed from three windows to just two, meaning clubs will have a prolonged period without league action. **J – Johansson’s Appointment** Motherwell have named 35‑year‑old Alfred Johansson as their new manager after Jens Berthel Askou moved to Toulouse. Johansson becomes the youngest head coach in the division.

**K – Kenobi Connection** Aberdeen’s new 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 saga. **L – Law Adjustments** Following the World Cup experiments, VAR can now intervene on second‑yellow‑card incidents. Additionally, players have a five‑second window to execute throw‑ins and goal‑kicks, substitutes must leave the pitch within ten seconds, and medical breaks are limited to one minute. **M – McInnes at Rangers** For the fifth consecutive season, Rangers will begin under a fresh manager.

Derek McInnes has been tasked with achieving what his five predecessors could not—delivering a league title for the club. **N – New Mascot Hunt** St Johnstone are seeking a successor to Brogan the Beagle, who retired after an eleven‑year tenure representing the club’s supporters.

**O – O’Neill’s Return** Seventy‑four‑year‑old Martin O’Neill is back at Celtic for what is technically his fourth spell. He guided the team to a league‑cup double last season after stepping in for Brendan Rodgers and later Wilfried Nancy. **P – Promotion** St Johnstone return to the Premiership after a single season’s absence, becoming the sole promoted side following St Mirren’s play‑off triumph over Partick Thistle in May.

**Q – Questionable Cuts** Falkirk’s League Cup trialist David Ninkovic may face some teasing over his new haircut as the season gets underway. **R – Robinson’s Rebuild** Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson is set to embark on his first full campaign at Pittodrie. The club also welcomed former Scotland captain and Sky Sports pundit Rachel Corsie to its board of directors, signalling a broader strategic overhaul.

**S – Six‑Game Showcase** All twelve clubs will have their opening‑weekend fixtures aired live on Sky Sports—a first for the league—offering fans unprecedented access to every match. **T – Transfer Activity** Collectively, the Premiership clubs have already completed over 80 signings, and with more than a month remaining before the window closes, further movement is expected. **U – Ultras** Every club now boasts an organized ultras group, aiming to amplify the atmosphere and vocal support within the stands. **V – Vrancken’s Vision** Hearts have appointed Wouter Vrancken as manager, succeeding Derek McInnes.

Vrancken, who was named Belgian Manager of the Year and narrowly missed a league title with Genk in 2023, is tasked with reigniting Hearts’ title ambitions. **W – World Cup Afterglow** The Premiership kicks off just twelve days after the World Cup final. While Spain’s victorious squad featured no Scottish league players, two Spaniards have joined the division: Unax Alvarez at St Johnstone and Samuel Ramos at St Mirren.

**X – Experience** Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, at 35, becomes the oldest player in the division—coincidentally the same age as his manager Alfred Johansson. **Y – Years Since an Outsider Won** It has been 41 years since a club outside the Old Firm lifted the Scottish league trophy.

Hearts came close last season; the question now is whether they or another challenger can break the duopoly. **Z – Zero Unbroadcast Games** All fixtures this weekend will be shown live on Sky Sports, meaning zero Premiership matches will be omitted from the broadcast schedule. The opening match takes place at Tannadice on Friday night as Rangers travel to Dundee United.

Fans can also enjoy the Scottish Premiership via the NOW streaming platform, ensuring they never miss a moment of the action. With a blend of fresh faces, managerial shifts, rule changes, and heightened fan involvement, this season promises to deliver drama, excitement, and plenty of footballing narratives to follow.