Scottish Premiership
Scottish football league.
The Scottish Premiership, officially known as the cinch Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. Established in July 2013 after the merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League, it sits at the top of the Scottish football league system.
The league consists of 12 teams, each playing 38 matches per season from August to May. The unique "split" format divides the season into two phases. In the first phase, each team plays three games against every other team. After 33 games, the league splits into two halves of six teams each for the final five matches, with points carried forward from the first phase.
At the end of each season, the champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League, while the second and third-placed teams, along with the Scottish Cup winners, enter UEFA Europa League or Europa Conference League qualifying rounds. The bottom-placed team is relegated to the Scottish Championship, while the 11th-placed team enters a playoff with Championship teams for the final Premiership spot.
Celtic has been the most successful club in the Scottish Premiership era, winning 10 of the 11 titles since its inception, including the 2023–24 season. Rangers interrupted Celtic's dominance by winning the 2020–21 title. The league has featured 16 different clubs since its creation in 2013–14.
The Scottish Premiership attracts significant attention, with an average attendance of 15,555 for the 2022–23 season. It ranks 9th in the UEFA country coefficient rankings as of 2024, which determines the number of places allocated to Scottish clubs in UEFA competitions.
The league has produced notable players and moments, with stars like Odsonne Édouard, Alfredo Morelos, and Kyogo Furuhashi making significant impacts. The Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers remains one of the most famous rivalries in world football, often playing a crucial role in determining the league champion.
Financial disparities exist within the league, with Celtic and Rangers typically having significantly larger budgets than other clubs. Despite this, teams like Aberdeen, Heart of Midlothian, and Hibernian have managed to challenge for European places consistently.
The Scottish Premiership continues to play a vital role in Scottish football, providing a platform for clubs to compete at the highest domestic level and qualify for prestigious European competitions.