Scottish football already has its domestic calendar in place. The 2026-2027 Scottish Premiership fixture list was released on Thursday, June 18th, 2026, confirming the schedule for the first 33 rounds of the season before the traditional post-split fixtures are added later in the campaign.
The new Scottish Premiership season will begin on Friday, July 31st, 2026, with Dundee United hosting Rangers at Tannadice Park. Celtic, the defending champions, will start their title defence a few days later, welcoming Dundee to Celtic Park on Monday, 3 August. The league season will reach its conclusion over the weekend of 15 and 16 of May 2027, before the Premiership play-off final takes place on 20 and 23 May.
Tickets for the biggest Scottish Premiership fixtures are always in high demand, especially for Celtic vs Rangers, the Edinburgh derby and high-profile matches at Celtic Park, Ibrox, Tynecastle and Easter Road.
Fans planning a football trip to Scotland should keep an eye on fixture changes, as dates and kick-off times may still be adjusted for television coverage, European competitions and domestic cup commitments.
- Key Dates in the 2026-2027 Scottish Premiership Calendar
- The biggest Premiership matches to watch
- The 12 Premiership clubs
- 2026/27 Premiership FAQ
Key Dates in the 2026-2027 Serie A Calendar
- Opening match: Dundee United vs Rangers, Friday, July 31st 2026
- Opening weekend: Friday, 31 July to Monday, August 3rd, 2026
- Final pre-split round: Saturday, April 10th 2027
- Post-split fixtures begin: Saturday, April 24th, 2027
- Final league weekend: 15 and 16 of May 2027
- Premiership play-off final: 20 and 23 of May 2027
- Extended international break: no Premiership matches on the weekends of 26-27 of September and 3-4 of October 2026
Opening Weekend of the 2026-2027 Scottish Premiership
The Scottish Premiership will return earlier than many of Europe’s major leagues, and the first weekend already offers several intriguing storylines.
Rangers open the season away to Dundee United on Friday night, a difficult first test at Tannadice Park. On Saturday, Falkirk begin their campaign at home to St Mirren, while Aberdeen welcome Hearts to Pittodrie in one of the standout matches of the opening round.
Sunday brings St Johnstone’s return to the top flight against Kilmarnock, followed by Hibernian vs Motherwell at Easter Road. Celtic then close the opening round on Monday evening, beginning their title defence at home to Dundee.
| Matchday 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 31 July | |||
| Dundee United | 20:00 | Glasgow Rangers | info |
| Saturday 1 August | |||
| Falkirk FC | 15:00 | St. Mirren FC | info |
| Aberdeen FC | 17:30 | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
| Sunday 2 August | |||
| St. Johnstone FC | 14:00 | Kilmarnock FC | info |
| Hibernian FC | 16:30 | Motherwell FC | info |
| Monday 3 August | |||
| Celtic Glasgow | 19:30 | Dundee FC | info |
A Busy Festive Period
As always, the festive period promises to be one of the most intense stretches of the Scottish football season. The Premiership calendar includes Boxing Day fixtures, with Hearts vs Hibernian at Tynecastle standing out as one of the headline matches.
Another full round is scheduled for December 30th, 2026, before the new year begins with a bang on January 2nd, 2027. That day will feature Rangers vs Celtic at Ibrox, alongside Dundee vs Dundee United in another major local derby.
International Breaks
The Scottish Premiership will pause in the autumn for the international window. No league matches are scheduled for the weekends of 26-27 of September and 3-4 of October 2026, giving clubs and players a longer break during a demanding season.
Further FIFA international windows are expected in November 2026 and March 2027, which will also influence the rhythm of the campaign.
Midweek Matches
The Scottish Premiership calendar includes several midweek fixtures. One of the first notable midweek rounds will take place on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026, featuring matches such as Hibernian vs Hearts, Celtic vs Aberdeen and Falkirk vs Rangers.
Further changes may also be made depending on European commitments, especially for clubs involved in qualifying rounds or continental group-stage football.
The Final Round Before the Split
The 33rd round, scheduled for April 10th, 2027, will be the final set of fixtures before the league splits into the Top Six and Bottom Six.
That weekend could prove decisive in the race for European places, the title battle and the fight to avoid relegation. Hibernian vs Hearts will be the headline fixture, while Celtic host Dundee United and Rangers travel to Dundee.
| Matchday 33 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 10 April | |||
| Hibernian FC | --:-- | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
| Celtic Glasgow | --:-- | Dundee United | info |
| Dundee FC | --:-- | Glasgow Rangers | info |
| St. Johnstone FC | --:-- | Motherwell FC | info |
| Aberdeen FC | --:-- | Kilmarnock FC | info |
| Falkirk FC | --:-- | St. Mirren FC | info |
Scottish Premiership Matches Not to Miss
Celtic vs Rangers: The Old Firm
No fixture defines Scottish football quite like the Old Firm. Celtic and Rangers will meet three times before the split, with the first derby scheduled for September 20th, 2026 at Celtic Park.
The second meeting will take place at Ibrox on Saturday, January 2nd, 2027, giving fans one of the biggest possible fixtures to start the new year. The third confirmed meeting is set for Saturday, February 27th, again at Celtic Park.
A fourth Old Firm match is expected after the split, depending on the final structure of the Top Six fixtures.
| Matchday 7, Sunday 20 September | |||
| Celtic Glasgow | 12:00 | Glasgow Rangers | info |
| Matchday 22, Saturday 2 January | |||
| Glasgow Rangers | --:-- | Celtic Glasgow | info |
| Matchday 29, Saturday 27 February | |||
| Celtic Glasgow | --:-- | Glasgow Rangers | info |
Edinburgh Derby: Hearts vs Hibernian
The Edinburgh derby will be another highlight of the campaign. The first meeting between Hibernian and Hearts will take place on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 at Easter Road.
The rivalry then returns on Boxing Day, with Hearts hosting Hibernian at Tynecastle. A third derby is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th, 2027, just before the split, and could carry major consequences in the race for the top half.
| Matchday 5, Wednesday 2 September | |||
| Hibernian FC | 19:45 | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
| Matchday 20, Saturday 26 December | |||
| Heart of Midlothian FC | 15:00 | Hibernian FC | info |
| Matchday 33, Saturday 10 April | |||
| Hibernian FC | --:-- | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
Dundee Derby
The Dundee derby also returns to the Scottish Premiership calendar with three confirmed meetings before the split.
Dundee United will host Dundee at Tannadice Park on August 22nd, 2026. The rivals meet again at Dens Park on January 2nd, 2027, before the third episode takes place on March 13th, back at Dundee United.
| Matchday 3, Saturday 22 August | |||
| Dundee United | 15:00 | Dundee FC | info |
| Matchday 22, Saturday 2 January | |||
| Dundee FC | --:-- | Dundee United | info |
| Matchday 30, Saturday 13 March | |||
| Dundee United | --:-- | Dundee FC | info |
Aberdeen vs Hearts
Aberdeen vs Hearts is one of the major early-season fixtures. Scheduled for the opening weekend at Pittodrie, the match offers both clubs a chance to make an early statement.
Hearts will aim to build on their strong previous campaign, while Aberdeen will be keen to start well in front of their own supporters.
| Matchday 1, Saturday 1 August | |||
| Aberdeen FC | 17:30 | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
| Matchday 16, Wednesday 2 December | |||
| Heart of Midlothian FC | 19:45 | Aberdeen FC | info |
| Matchday 23, Saturday 9 January | |||
| Aberdeen FC | --:-- | Heart of Midlothian FC | info |
The 12 Clubs in the 2026-2027 Premiership
The 2026-2027 Scottish Premiership will once again feature 12 clubs.
Celtic enter the season as defending champions and will be expected to set the pace. Rangers, under Derek McInnes, will be determined to close the gap and mount a serious title challenge. Hearts, Hibernian, Aberdeen and Motherwell will all have ambitions of competing near the top end of the table.
Elsewhere, Dundee, Dundee United, Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Falkirk and St Johnstone will look to secure their top-flight status and push for a place in the top six.
- Reigning champions: Celtic
- Qualified for the Champions League: Celtic
- Qualified for the Champions League preliminary round : Heart
- Qualified for the Conference League preliminary round: Rangers, Motherwell
- Promoted club: St. Johnstone
Scottish Premiership 2026-2027 FAQ
The season begins on Friday, July 31st 2026, with Dundee United vs Rangers. The opening round continues until Monday, August 3rd, when Celtic host Dundee.
The final league weekend is scheduled for the 15th and 16th of May, 2027. The Premiership play-off final will follow on May 20th and 23rd, 2027.
The three confirmed Old Firm fixtures before the split are Celtic vs Rangers on September 20th, 2026, Rangers vs Celtic on January 2nd, 2027 and Celtic vs Rangers on February 27th, 2027. A fourth meeting may be added after the split.
After 33 rounds, the league is divided into two groups of six: the Top Six and the Bottom Six. Each club then plays five additional matches against teams in its own group.
No traditional winter break is scheduled. The league remains active over the festive period, with matches planned on Boxing Day, December 30th and January 2nd.
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Article updated on June 18th, 2026
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