Viaplay Cup dates and TV picks: Celtic and Rangers selected, why Aberdeen are playing on Friday, Hearts and Hibs on same day

The Scottish Professional Football League have announced the dates, TV picks and kick-offs for the Viaplay Cup second round – with both Hearts and Hibs set to play at the same time in Edinburgh.

The TV picks for the Viaplay Cup last 16 have been announced.

Viaplay will broadcast both halves of the Old Firm, with holders Celtic’s match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park scheduled for Sunday, August 20 with a 3pm kick-off. Rangers will play on Saturday, August 19 against Greenock Morton, which will also be screened live by the TV company.

Aberdeen’s match against Stirling Albion at Forthbank will start the last 16 weekend on Friday, August 18, with Dons chief executive Alan Burrows explaining the unusual date for the tie. “Few fans have asked why the game is on a Friday night, rather than Saturday, when there is no live TV coverage,” wrote Burrows on Twitter. “Forthbank has a pre-arranged (non football) event that is due to take place on Saturday 19 August, meaning there was/is no availability to play on that day. We were then faced with the potential for a Sunday afternoon slot, but for multiple reasons (the biggest one obviously being the Europa League play-off game the following midweek, particularly given how volatile the dates of qualifiers can sometimes be), we asked for the Friday night and Stirling Albion have accommodated that.”

The two games involving Edinburgh clubs will be played at 2pm on Sunday, August 20, with Hibs taking on Raith Rovers at Easter Road and Hearts hosting Partick Thistle at Tynecastle. Both ties are being played on the Sunday due to the capital rivals’ involvement in the draw for the third round of the Europa Conference League third qualifying round, with that competition taking place on Thursday, August 17.

Full list of Viaplay Cup last 16 matches: Friday August 18 – Stirling Albion v Aberdeen (7.45pm). Saturday August 19: Airdrieonians v Ross County (3.00pm); Livingston v Ayr United (3.00pm); Rangers v Greenock Morton (Live on Viaplay, 12.30pm); St Mirren v Motherwell (3.00pm). Sunday August 20: Hibernian v Raith Rovers (2.00pm); Heart of Midlothian v Partick Thistle (2.00pm) Kilmarnock v Celtic (Live on Viaplay, 3.00pm).