The new Scottish Premiership campaign is set to launch with a burst of excitement, as every match from the opening weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The kickoff will begin with Rangers travelling to Dundee United on Friday and will conclude with Celtic facing Dundee on Monday, ensuring fans can catch all the action from the very start. After a dramatic conclusion to last season, where Celtic clinched the championship on the final day against Hearts, the league enters a new era filled with fresh managerial appointments, player movements, rule adjustments, and other noteworthy developments. To help supporters navigate the upcoming fixtures, here is an A‑Z guide that highlights the most significant changes and storylines for the 2024‑25 season.
A – Artificial Turf: The Falkirk Stadium remains the sole venue with a synthetic playing surface. Kilmarnock have returned to natural grass at Rugby Park, and Livingston’s relegation means the Falkirk pitch is now the only plastic one left in the top flight. B – Broken Hearts: Following a heartbreaking miss on a top‑flight title after 66 years, several key players have departed.
Captain Lawrence Shankland moved to Rangers despite being only a year into a three‑year contract, head coach Derek McInnes also left, and influential midfielder Cammy Devlin followed suit, rejecting a new deal at Tynecastle and joining Ibrox. C – Captains: New armbands will be seen at Aberdeen, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren 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 after the English Premier League deadline. Clubs that feel they have not yet bolstered their squads still have ample time to act before the window finally closes. E – Europe: Five Scottish sides entered the European qualifiers this summer, but this season the race for the top four spots is crucial. Scotland’s declining UEFA coefficient means the league will likely lose a European place, making every league point even more valuable.
F – Flag Days: Champions Celtic will once 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 the Scottish game 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 distinguished two‑decade career. 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: Although the World Cup has just concluded, the international calendar now features a lengthy pause of nearly three weeks across September and October. This season’s schedule has been trimmed from three windows to just two, giving clubs a longer uninterrupted run. J – Johansson: Motherwell’s new manager Alfred Johansson, aged 35, steps into the role after Jens Berthel Askou’s move to Toulouse. Johansson becomes the youngest head coach in the division and faces the challenge of restoring Motherwell’s fortunes.
K – Kenobi: Aberdeen’s left‑back Nesta Guinness‑Walker carries a unique piece of pop‑culture heritage – he is the great‑grandson of Sir Alec Guinness, famed for portraying Obi‑Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars saga. 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 pitch within ten seconds, and medical treatment breaks are capped at one minute.
M – McInnes: Rangers have appointed Derek McInnes for the fifth consecutive season with a new manager at the helm. McInnes inherits the task that has eluded the last five permanent Rangers managers – securing the league title. N – New Mascot: St Johnstone are seeking a fresh face for their beloved mascot, Brogan the Beagle, after the previous Brogan retired after an eleven‑year tenure.
O – O'Neill: At 74, Martin O'Neill returns to Celtic for what is technically his fourth spell at the club. He guided Celtic to a league‑and‑cup double last season after stepping in for Brendan Rodgers and later Wilfried Nancy. P – Promoted: St Johnstone re‑enter the Premiership after a single season away, becoming the sole promoted side following St Mirren’s victory over Partick Thistle in the play‑off final.
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 embarks on his first full season at Pittodrie, while former Scotland captain and Sky Sports pundit Rachel Corsie joins the club’s board of directors, adding experience to the executive side. S – Six: Six matches from the opening weekend will be shown 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, with the transfer window still open for another month, promising further activity.
U – Ultras: Every Premiership club now boasts an organized ultras group, aiming to amplify atmosphere and vocal support within the stands. V – Vrancken: Hearts have appointed Belgian manager Wouter Vrancken, the 2023 Belgian Manager of the Year, to replace Derek McInnes and reignite a title challenge. He narrowly missed a league crown with Genk in 2023.
W – World Cup: The Premiership kicks off just twelve days after the World Cup final. While Spain’s victorious squad featured no players from the Scottish league, two Spaniards have joined the division – Unax Alvarez at St Johnstone and Samuel Ramos at St Mirren. X – Xperience: Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, at 35, becomes the oldest player in the league, sharing his age with his manager Alfred Johansson – a quirky coincidence. 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 remains whether they or another challenger can break the duopoly this term. Z – Zero: Zero Premiership matches will be omitted from Sky Sports’ live coverage this weekend – every game will be broadcast, starting with Rangers versus Dundee United at Tannadice on Friday night.
Fans can also enjoy the Scottish Premiership through NOW’s streaming service, ensuring they never miss a moment of the action throughout the season.