The Scottish Premiership is set to launch its new campaign with plenty of excitement and fresh storylines. Every fixture from the opening weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, kicking off with Rangers travelling to face Dundee United on Friday night and concluding with Celtic’s showdown against Dundee on Monday. After a dramatic conclusion to last season—Celtic clinching the championship on the final day against Hearts—the league enters a new era marked by managerial changes, player movements, rule updates, and other noteworthy developments.
To help fans navigate the upcoming season, here is an A‑Z guide covering the most significant changes and talking points. A – Artificial Surface: The Falkirk Stadium remains the sole venue in the Premiership still featuring an artificial pitch. Kilmarnock have returned to a natural grass surface at Rugby Park, and Livingston’s relegation means no other club now hosts a synthetic field.
B – Broken Hearts: The heartbreak of missing a top‑flight title for the first time in 66 years last season 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 turned down a new deal at Tynecastle to join Ibrox.
C – Captains: Several clubs will see new leaders on the pitch. Aberdeen, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren have each appointed different players to wear the armband after the exits of Graeme Shinnie, Lawrence Shankland, Brad Lyons, James Tavernier and Mark O'Hara respectively. D – Deadline Day: The Scottish Premiership’s transfer window shuts on 3 September at 5 p.m., two days later than the English Premier League deadline. This gives clubs a little extra breathing room to finalize signings before the window closes.
E – European Ambitions: Five Scottish clubs entered European qualifying rounds over the summer, but this season the race will focus on securing the top four spots, as Scotland’s declining UEFA coefficient is likely to reduce the number of continental places available. F – Flag Days: Champions Celtic will once again raise the league flag when they meet Dundee in the final match of the opening weekend.
Newly promoted St Johnstone will also hoist the Championship flag at home against Kilmarnock on Sunday. G – Gordon’s Retirement: 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 Arrival: Celtic have broken their transfer record by signing Danish striker Kasper Hogh from Bodø Glimt for a fee of £11 million plus add‑ons. Hogh is expected to fill the void left by Daizen Maeda, who moved to Ipswich.
I – International Breaks: Following the World Cup, the international calendar has been trimmed to two windows this season, resulting in an almost three‑week pause for club football during September and October. J – Johansson’s Appointment: Motherwell have appointed 35‑year‑old Alfred Johansson as manager, making him the youngest head coach in the league.
He steps into the role after Jens Berthel Askou’s departure for Toulouse. K – Kenobi Connection: Aberdeen’s new left‑back Nesta Guinness‑Walker boasts a surprising lineage—he is the great‑grandson of Sir Alec Guinness, the actor who portrayed Obi‑Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy.
L – Law Changes: New regulations mirror recent World Cup adjustments. VAR can now intervene on a second yellow card, 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 at Rangers: For the fifth consecutive season, Rangers will begin with a fresh manager. Derek McInnes has been tasked with achieving what his five immediate predecessors could not—winning the Scottish Premiership. N – New Mascot: St Johnstone are searching for a successor to Brogan the Beagle, whose previous incarnation retired after an eleven‑year tenure.
O – O’Neill’s Return: Seventy‑four‑year‑old Martin O’Neill is back at Celtic for what counts as his fourth spell. He previously guided the club to a league‑and‑cup double after taking over from Brendan Rodgers and later Wilfried Nancy.
P – Promotion: St Johnstone have earned promotion back to the Premiership after a single season away, becoming the sole newly promoted side following St Mirren’s play‑off victory over Partick Thistle. Q – Questionable Haircuts: New season, new looks—Falkirk’s League Cup trialist David Ninkovic may face some teasing over his fresh haircut. R – Robinson’s Rebuild: Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson enters his first full season at Pittodrie, aiming to reshape the squad.
Additionally, former Scotland captain and Sky Sports pundit Rachel Corsie has joined the club’s board of directors. S – Six Live Matches: All twelve clubs will be featured live on Sky Sports over the opening weekend—a historic first for the league, offering fans unprecedented coverage. T – Transfer Activity: The twelve Premiership clubs have already completed over 80 new signings, with more activity expected before the window closes on 3 September.
U – Ultras: Every Premiership club now boasts an organized ultras group, bringing heightened passion, chants, and atmosphere to the stands. V – Vrancken’s Appointment: Hearts have hired Belgian manager Wouter Vrancken, the former Belgian Manager of the Year, to replace Derek McInnes and revive the club’s title ambitions after a near‑miss with Genk in 2023.
W – World Cup Afterglow: The new season commences just 12 days after the World Cup final. While Spain’s victorious squad featured no players from the Scottish league, two Spaniards—Unax Álvarez (St Johnstone) and Samuel Ramos (St Mirren)—have joined the Premiership.
X – X‑Factor Experience: Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, now 35, becomes the oldest player in the division, sharing his age with his manager Alfred Johansson. Y – Years Since Non‑Old‑Firm Triumph: It has been 41 years since a club outside the Old Firm claimed the title. Hearts pushed the league to the final day last season; the question remains whether they or another challenger can break the duopoly this year. Z – Zero Un‑Televised Games: Every Premiership match this weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, meaning zero games will be left off the live schedule.
The opening fixture kicks off at Tannadice on Friday night as Rangers face Dundee United. Fans can also stream the Scottish Premiership via NOW, and a reminder to use the Chrome browser for optimal video playback. Additionally, a promotional Super 6 competition offers a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available to all supporters.