The expanded European schedule has put paid to the Scottish Premiership winter break next season.

An rise in UEFA league matchdays from six to up to 10 has created an increased challenge for the Scottish Professional Football League to fit in the 38 top-flight fixture dates. The league phase of the Champions and Europa League will now run until the end of January, as opposed to finishing before Christmas.

SPFL chief operating officer Calum Beattie said: “It is fair to say that the additional slots required for the UEFA club competitions next season have made scheduling more challenging than usual. In particular, there is very limited flexibility within the Premiership fixture calendar, and we are therefore unable to accommodate a scheduled winter break.”

The expanded European schedule has put paid to the Scottish Premiership winter break next season.

The SPFL has confirmed its league season will kick off on the weekend of August 3-4 and the Premiership campaign will conclude on May 17-18. Clubs in the Championship, League 1 and League 2 will finish on the first weekend in May before the play-offs get under way. The group stage of the Viaplay Cup will again begin in mid-July and the quarter-finals will move to a weekend because of a shortage of available domestic midweeks in the first half of the season. The final is scheduled for December 15.

Winter break scrapped as SPFL reveal 2024/25 dates and changes to League Cup schedule