The fresh Scottish Premiership campaign is set to launch with great excitement, offering fans a full slate of live coverage across the opening weekend. Sky Sports will broadcast every single match, beginning with Rangers' journey to Dundee United on Friday and concluding with Celtic's clash against Dundee on Monday. After a dramatic conclusion to last season—where Celtic secured the championship on the final day against Hearts—the league enters a new era filled with fresh managerial appointments, player movements, rule adjustments, and a host of other developments.

To help supporters get up to speed before the season kicks off, here is an A‑Z guide that highlights everything that’s new or noteworthy for the 2024‑25 Scottish Premiership. **A – Artificial Surface**: The Falkirk Stadium now stands as the sole venue still featuring an artificial pitch. Kilmarnock have returned to natural grass at Rugby Park, and Livingston’s relegation removed their synthetic surface from the top tier. **B – Broken Hearts**: Following the heartbreak of missing out on a first league title in 66 years on the last day of the previous campaign, several key figures have departed.

Captain Lawrence Shankland left for Rangers despite being only a year into a three‑year contract. Head coach Derek McInnes also exited, and influential midfielder Cammy Devlin turned his back on a new deal at Tynecastle to join Ibrox.

**C – Captains**: New leaders will wear the armband 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 5 pm, two days later than the English Premier League deadline. Clubs that feel they have not yet completed their squads still have a little over a month to finalize deals.

**E – European Ambitions**: Five Scottish clubs entered the European qualifiers over the summer, but this season the race narrows to the top four spots. Scotland’s declining UEFA coefficient means the league is likely to lose one of its allocated places, raising the stakes for those aiming for continental competition. **F – Flag‑bearing Fixtures**: Champions Celtic will once again hoist the league flag when they meet Dundee on Monday, the final match of the opening weekend.

Newly promoted St Johnstone will also display the Championship flag at home against Kilmarnock on Sunday. **G – Gordon’s Retirement**: Goalkeeping legend Craig Gordon will not feature in the Scottish game this year. The 43‑year‑old Hearts icon announced his retirement after Scotland’s World Cup exit, ending a career that began 25 years ago.

**H – Hogh Signing**: Celtic have broken their transfer record by acquiring Danish striker Kasper Hogh from Bodø Glimt for £11 million plus add‑ons. Hogh is expected to fill the void left by Daizen Maeda, who departed for Ipswich Town. **I – International Breaks**: After the World Cup, the international calendar has been trimmed to two windows for the season, resulting in an almost three‑week hiatus in September and October. Players will need to stay sharp during this extended break.

**J – Johansson’s Appointment**: Motherwell have appointed Alfred Johansson as their new manager. At just 35, he becomes the youngest head coach in the league, taking over after Jens Berthel Askou’s move to Toulouse. **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**: VAR can now intervene on second yellow‑card incidents, mirroring the World Cup’s protocol. Additionally, players have a five‑second window to execute throw‑ins and goal kicks, substitutes must leave the field within ten seconds, and medical treatment breaks are limited to one minute.

**M – McInnes at Rangers**: For the fifth consecutive season, Rangers will start under a new manager. Derek McInnes has been tasked with achieving what his five predecessors could not—bringing the league title back to Ibrox. **N – New Mascot Hunt**: St Johnstone are searching for a fresh face to portray Brogan the Beagle, following the retirement of the previous mascot after an eleven‑year tenure.

**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 club to a league‑and‑cup double last season after taking over from Brendan Rodgers and later Wilfried Nancy. **P – Promoted Side**: St Johnstone re‑enter the Premiership after a single season away, becoming the sole promoted club following St Mirren’s successful play‑off final against Partick Thistle.

**Q – Questionable Cuts**: Falkirk’s League Cup trialist David Ninkovic may face some light‑hearted teasing over his new haircut as the season gets underway. **R – Robinson’s Rebuild**: Aberdeen boss 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, signalling a strategic overhaul. **S – Six‑Game Broadcast**: All twelve clubs will have their opening‑weekend fixtures aired live on Sky Sports—a historic first that offers fans comprehensive coverage of the entire league.

**T – Transfer Activity**: Over 80 new signings have already been recorded across the twelve Premiership teams, with the transfer window still open for more than a month. **U – Ultras Presence**: Every club now boasts an organized ultras group, aiming to amplify atmosphere and vocal support throughout the stands. **V – Vrancken’s Appointment**: Hearts have appointed Wouter Vrancken as manager, replacing Derek McInnes.

The Belgian was named Manager of the Year in his home country and narrowly missed a league title with Genk in 2023. **W – World Cup Afterglow**: The Premiership starts just twelve days after the World Cup final.

While Spain’s victorious squad featured no Scottish league players, two Spaniards—Unax Alvarez (St Johnstone) and Samuel Ramos (St Mirren)—have joined the Scottish ranks. **X – X‑Factor Experience**: Motherwell captain Paul McGinn, at 35, becomes the oldest player in the division, matching the age of his manager Alfred Johansson—a quirky coincidence. **Y – Years Since Non‑Old‑Firm Triumph**: It has been 41 years since a club outside the Old Firm claimed the league title. Hearts came close last season; this year will test whether they or another challenger can break the duopoly.

**Z – Zero Unbroadcast Games**: There will be no Premiership matches left off Sky Sports’ live schedule this weekend—every game, from the Friday night opener at Tannadice to the Monday finale, will be shown. Fans can also stream the Scottish Premiership via NOW and enjoy the live coverage on Sky Sports. For the best viewing experience, using the Chrome browser is recommended.

Additionally, a Super 6 competition offers a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available for participants.