Scottish League Cup: The new format

THE SPFL yesterday unveiled radical new plans to shake up the Scottish League Cup competition.

St Mirren capitain Jim Goodwin lifts the Scottish League Cup after the Buddies defeated Hearts 3-2 in the 2013 final. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

There are eight stages of the revamped tournament:

• A new group stage format for the first round.

• Eight groups of five teams, playing each other once in round-robin format.

• Group games to take place on 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30 July.

• Group stage involves all 38 SPFL teams not involved in European qualifiers, plus winners of both Highland League and Lowland League.

• Group stage draw seeded and, where practicable, regionalised. One Premiership team in each group.

• Drawn matches in group stage go to penalty shoot-out, with bonus point for winners.

• Eight group winners and four best runners-up progress to second round where they are joined by the four teams involved in European football.

• Straight knockout formula, as presently exists, from the round of 16 with no seeded draws.

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