The brand‑new 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 kicks off on Friday when Rangers travel to face Dundee United, and the final fixture of the weekend sees Celtic taking on Dundee on Monday night. After a dramatic conclusion to last season—Celtic clinching the championship on the last day against Hearts—the league returns with fresh faces, new tactical ideas, updated regulations, and a host of storylines that will keep fans glued to their screens.
To help supporters navigate the flood of information, we’ve compiled an A‑Z guide that highlights the most noteworthy changes and talking points for the 2024‑25 season. **A – Artificial Surface** Only one synthetic pitch remains in the top flight. Falkirk Stadium, home of Livingston, is now the sole venue still using an astroturf surface after Kilmarnock reverted to a natural grass pitch at Rugby Park and Livingston themselves were relegated. The shift underscores a broader move across Scottish football toward traditional grass, which many argue offers a more predictable bounce and reduces injury risk.
**B – Broken Hearts** The heartbreak of last season’s finale saw several key players depart. Captain Lawrence Shankland, who had signed a three‑year contract, left for Rangers after just one season. Head coach Derek McInnes also exited, and influential midfielder Cammy Devlin turned his back on a renewed deal at Tynecastle to join Ibrox. These exits have left the former champions scrambling to rebuild a squad capable of defending the title.
**C – Captains** A wave of new leaders will wear the armband this year. Aberdeen, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren have all appointed fresh captains following the departures of Graeme Shinnie, Lawrence Shankland, Brad Lyons, James Tavernier and Mark O’Hara.
The new captains will be tasked with steering their sides through a season that promises intense competition both domestically and in Europe. **D – Deadline Day** The Scottish Premiership transfer window shuts on 3 September at 5 pm, two days later than the English Premier League deadline. This gives clubs a little extra breathing room to finalize deals, and fans can expect a flurry of activity right up until the very end of August. **E – European Ambitions** Five Scottish clubs entered the European qualifiers over the summer, but this season the battle will focus on securing the top four league places.
Scotland’s UEFA coefficient has slipped, meaning the league is likely to lose one of its allocated spots, making every league point even more valuable for clubs hoping to compete on the continental stage. **F – Flag‑raising Matches** 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. These ceremonial moments add a touch of tradition to the modern spectacle. **G – Gordon’s Farewell** Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will retire at the end of the season, marking the first time since the SPFL’s inaugural year in 2013 that the Scottish top flight will be without the 43‑year‑old Hearts legend.
Gordon announced his decision after Scotland’s exit from the World Cup, ending a career that spanned more than two decades. **H – High‑profile Signing** Celtic have broken their transfer record by acquiring Norwegian striker Kasper Hogh from Bodø Glimt for a reported £11 million plus add‑ons.
The Denmark international is expected to fill the void left by Daizen Maeda, who departed for Ipswich Town. **I – International Breaks** Following the World Cup, the international calendar has been compressed. Players will now face an almost three‑week hiatus spanning September and October, with only two FIFA windows instead of the usual three. This change could affect squad rotation and fitness management for clubs.
**J – Johansson’s Appointment** Motherwell have appointed Alfred Johansson as their new manager. At just 35, Johansson becomes the youngest head coach in the league, inheriting a side that lost Jens Berthel Askou to Toulouse.
He will have to quickly imprint his philosophy and get the best out of a squad eager for improvement. **K – Kenobi Connection** Aberdeen’s recent signing, left‑back Nesta Guinness‑Walker, boasts an intriguing family link: he is the great‑grandson of Sir Alec Guinness, famed for portraying Obi‑Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars saga. The heritage adds a fun footnote to his debut season. **L – Law Adjustments** New regulations, inspired by recent World Cup experiments, allow VAR to intervene on second yellow‑card incidents.
Additionally, players now have a five‑second window to execute throw‑ins and goal‑kicks, while substitutes must leave the field within ten seconds. A one‑minute medical timeout has also been introduced for on‑field treatment, aiming to keep the game flowing. **M – McInnes at Rangers** Rangers have appointed Derek McInnes as manager for the fifth consecutive season with a new boss. McInnes inherits a club still yearning for a league title after a series of near‑misses and will be under pressure to deliver the championship that has eluded them for decades.
**N – New Mascot Hunt** St Johnstone are seeking a fresh face for their beloved mascot, Brogan the Beagle, after the previous Brogan retired after an eleven‑year tenure. The club has opened applications to fans and community members who want to bring the energetic canine back to the sidelines. **O – O’Neill’s Return** At 74, Martin O’Neill returns to Celtic for what is technically his fourth spell at the club. He previously guided Celtic to a league‑and‑cup double after stepping in for Brendan Rodgers and later Wilfried Nancy.
His experience will be crucial as Celtic aim to retain the title. **P – Promotion Spotlight** St Johnstone have earned promotion back to the Premiership after just one season away, becoming the sole newly promoted side following St Mirren’s successful play‑off final against Partick Thistle in May. Their return adds fresh competition to the top tier.
**Q – Questionable Cuts** Falkirk’s League Cup trialist David Ninkovic has sparked conversation with his new haircut, proving that even off‑field style choices can become talking points during a busy season. **R – Robinson’s Rebuild** Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson embarks on his first full campaign at Pittodrie, aiming to reshape the squad after a turbulent previous year. In a related development, former Scotland captain and Sky Sports analyst Rachel Corsie has been appointed to Aberdeen’s board of directors, bringing a player’s perspective to the club’s strategic decisions.
**S – Six‑Game Live Coverage** All twelve Premiership clubs will have their opening‑weekend fixtures aired live on Sky Sports—a historic first that ensures fans can watch every match from Friday night at Tannadice (Rangers vs Dundee Utd) through to Monday’s Celtic clash. **T – Transfer Activity** The twelve clubs have already completed over 80 new signings, and with the window remaining open until early September, further movement is expected as teams fine‑tune their rosters. **U – Ultras Presence** Every Premiership side now boasts an organized ultras group, dedicated to amplifying the atmosphere inside the stadiums. While opinions on ultras vary, their passion is set to make the stands louder and more vibrant than ever before.
**V – Vrancken Takes the Helm** Hearts have appointed Wouter Vrancken as manager, succeeding Derek McInnes. Vrancken, who was named Belgian Manager of the Year in 2023 and narrowly missed a league title with Genk, is tasked with reigniting Hearts’ title ambitions. **W – World Cup Afterglow** The Scottish season begins just 12 days after the World Cup final. Although Spain, the champions, featured no players from the Scottish league, two Spaniards have joined the Premiership: Unax Álvarez at St Johnstone and Samuel Ramos at St Mirren, adding an international flair to the domestic competition.
**X – Experience Milestone** Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, at 35, becomes the oldest active player in the division—coincidentally the same age as his manager Alfred Johansson. Their parallel ages highlight the blend of veteran leadership and youthful coaching in the league. **Y – Years Since Non‑Old‑Firm Triumph** It has been 41 years since a club outside the Old Firm lifted the Scottish title.
Hearts came close last season, pushing the race to the final day. This season will test whether any challenger can finally break the duopoly. **Z – Zero Unbroadcast Games** Remarkably, there will be zero Premiership matches not shown live on Sky Sports over the opening weekend.
The broadcast schedule kicks off at Tannadice on Friday night with Rangers versus Dundee Utd and continues through to Monday’s Celtic fixture, guaranteeing complete coverage for fans. The league’s launch promises a blend of tradition and innovation, with new managerial appointments, record‑breaking transfers, updated VAR protocols, and a full slate of live broadcasts. Whether you’re a die‑hard supporter or a casual observer, the 2024‑25 Scottish Premiership offers a compelling narrative from A to Z.