Scottish football league system

The Scottish football league system is a series of generally connected leagues for Scottish football clubs.

The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league systems, consisting of several completely separate systems or 'grades' of leagues and clubs. As well as senior football there is junior football, and also amateur football and welfare football.

In senior football in Scotland there is one national league, the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), which has four divisions. There are also several regional leagues (most notably the Highland Football League and since 2013 the Lowland Football League). From 2014–15, a promotion/relegation play-off between the two regional leagues and the SPFL national league was introduced for the first time.^[1]

Two clubs based in England play in the senior Scottish system - Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League and Tweedmouth Rangers in the East of Scotland League. A small number of English amateur clubs in the lowest levels of the game, based on or around the Anglo-Scottish border, also compete in Border Amateur Football League for geographical and travel reasons.

Men's system

See also: History of Scottish football

Until 2013 Scottish football had no pyramid league system, and as a result it was impossible for clubs in regional leagues to progress into the national leagues, unless a vacancy opened in the Scottish Football League. The final example of this was ahead of the 2008–09 season, where Gretna's demise allowed Annan Athletic to take their place. Overall, the structure of men's football in Scotland was among the most fractured and multi-faceted in Europe, being unique in having a plurality of adult male governing bodies (with Seniors, Juniors, Amateurs and Welfarers - see below). It was not uncommon for a given town or county to have clubs in as many as three or four separate systems.

Moves towards creating a pyramid system began in 2008 under the tenure of Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Gordon Smith, with discussions between the SFA and the regional and junior leagues.^[2] On 7 May 2013 Scottish Premier League clubs unanimously agreed on the introduction of a pyramid structure to Scottish football along with the reintroduction of a single governing body for the 42 clubs competing at a national level, a revised financial distribution model, and the possibility of a promotion/relegation play-off between the top two divisions.^[3]

Senior football

The current system has been in place since 2013–14, when the Scottish Professional Football League was formed by a merger of the Scottish Premier League (tier 1) and the Scottish Football League (tiers 2–4). At the same time, the Lowland Football League (tier 5) was founded, and from 2014 to 2021 the leagues below (tier 6) began to be incorporated as each joined the system. For each division, its official name, number of clubs, number of games, and promotion/relegation spots are given:

Tier	Total Clubs (292)	League(s) / Division(s)
	42	Scottish Professional Football League
1	12	Scottish Premiership 12 clubs playing 38 games ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot
2	10	Scottish Championship 10 clubs playing 36 games ↑ 1 promotion spot + 3 promotion playoff spots ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot
3	10	Scottish League One 10 clubs playing 36 games ↑ 1 promotion spot + 3 promotion playoff spots ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot
4	10	Scottish League Two 10 clubs playing 36 games ↑ 1 promotion spot + 3 promotion playoff spots ↓ 1 relegation playoff spot
	250	Non-League / Regional Leagues
5	36	Highland Football League 18 clubs playing 34 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 1 relegation playoff spot			Lowland Football League 18 clubs playing 34 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 1 relegation spot
6	92	Midlands Football League 20 clubs playing 28 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot	North Caledonian League 12 clubs playing 22 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot	North Region League Premier Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot	East of Scotland Football League Premier Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 3 relegation spots	South of Scotland Football League 12 clubs playing 22 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot	West of Scotland Football League Premier Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 3 relegation spots
7	46			North Region League Championship 15 clubs playing 28 games ↑ 2 promotion spots + 3 promotion playoff spots	East of Scotland Football League First Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 3 relegation spots		West of Scotland Football League First Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 3 relegation spots
8	32				East of Scotland Football League Second Division 15 clubs playing 28 games ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 2 relegation spots		West of Scotland Football League Second Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 3 relegation spots
9	27				East of Scotland Football League Third Division 11 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots		West of Scotland Football League Third Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 3 relegation spots
10	16						West of Scotland Football League Fourth Division 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 3 promotion spots

  leagues run by regions of the Scottish Junior Football Association

The leagues below level four are classed as "non-league football", meaning they are outside the Scottish Professional Football League and are played on a regional not a national basis. The Lowland League was created in 2013–14 and runs in parallel with the Highland League to form level five on the pyramid. Since 2014–15 the two league winners have played off against each other, with the winner then playing the team finishing 10th in League Two in a promotion/relegation play-off for a place in the SPFL.

Below the Highland League is the Midlands League (20 clubs); North Caledonian Football League (12 teams, including one reserve team); and the North Region League (31 clubs, 2 divisions). Below the Lowland League is the East of Scotland Football League (58 clubs, including one reserve team, 4 divisions); the South of Scotland Football League (12 clubs, including one reserve team); and the West of Scotland Football League (80 clubs, 5 divisions). At end of season, round robin promotion play-offs take place between the winners of feeder leagues of the Highland and Lowland League respectively (subject to each club meeting licensing criteria) for promotion to tier 5.

At the start of the 2024–25 season, this totalled 291 teams across 20 divisions.

Cup competitions

All clubs in tier 5 and above automatically enter the Scottish Cup, along with clubs in other divisions who are full members of the Scottish Football Association. Up to three non-SFA members can qualify for the Scottish Cup each season by winning the East, South or West leagues, or the East, South and West Cup-Winners Shield. All 42 SPFL clubs compete in the Scottish League Cup, along with the Highland and Lowland champions, and one additional invited team. The Scottish Challenge Cup features 30 SPFL clubs from outside the Premiership, Under 21s teams, and four from the Highland and Lowland leagues.

The SFA South Region Challenge Cup is for all 164 non-league clubs in the Lowland area (excluding reserve or B teams). The SFA North Region Challenge Cup existed between 2007 and 2009. There are also a variety of smaller cup tournaments at league and regional level.

Junior football

The Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) manages two regions: the SJFA East Region of 19 clubs; and the SJFA North Region of 34 clubs (4 clubs withdrew for 2022–23). This represents a total of 53 teams across 3 divisions. The term 'junior' refers not to the age of the players but the level of football played.^[4][5][6] These two regions joined the pyramid system at tier 6 below the Highland League in 2021–22.^{[citation needed]}

Members of the SJFA, consisting of 114 teams in total from the two regions as well as the East of Scotland League and West of Scotland League (5 teams are in abeyance for 2022–23), participate in the Scottish Junior Cup. Up to three non-SFA members can qualify for the Scottish Cup each season by winning the Midlands League, North Superleague, or the Junior Cup. Banks O' Dee also enter senior tournaments in the Aberdeenshire Cup and Shield, and run an Under-20s team in the Senior development structure (the Aberdeenshire & District League).

In 2020, as part of a long process to form an integrated footballing pyramid structure, all 63 West Region Junior clubs decided to depart and join the newly founded West of Scotland Football League, a feeder to the Lowland League. Between 2017 and 2020 more than half of the East Region clubs departed the junior ranks, joining the senior East of Scotland Football League which is also below the Lowland League. The remaining clubs in the East Premiership South made the same move to the East of Scotland League for season 2021–22, and the East Premiership North clubs formed the Midlands League at tier 6 below the Highland League. The North Region also joined the pyramid structure at the same level.^[7] The northern leagues at that level entered the pyramid later in July.^[8]

Amateur football

Again separate from the above, and generally agreed to lie 'below' the senior and junior levels, are the hundreds of clubs in membership of the Scottish Amateur Football Association which oversees 50 leagues^[9][10][11] - although this includes Sunday League football and futsal competitions. Prestige centres around the historic Scottish Amateur Cup. A number of Senior and Junior clubs run reserve teams in Amateur football. Student and Police football is also affiliated to the SAFA.

As of 2022–23 there are 360 teams – in 12 geographic leagues containing a total of 31 league divisions – playing Saturday football under a regular August–May season. In addition there are 137 teams playing in four specialist Saturday Morning leagues (including one for Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association) in Dundee and Glasgow, plus 22 teams playing in Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League.

There are also 90 teams playing in the Summer Saturday leagues (season 2022), most of which are located in the Highland; 244 teams are in the Sunday League system.

Saturday Leagues (Winter)

Leagues	Divisions
Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association 60 clubs	1	Premier Division 14 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Division One (North) 14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots	Division One (East) 14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3	Division Two (North) 9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots	Division Two (East) 9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots
Ayrshire Amateur Football Association 37 clubs	1	Premier League 12 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	Division 1 11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 2 relegation spots
	3	Division 2 14 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Border Amateur Football League 28 clubs	1	A League 10 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot
	2	B League 10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 3 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot
	3	C League 8 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot
Caledonian Amateur Football League 23 clubs	1	Premier Division 14 clubs ↓ 3 relegation spots
	2	First Division 9 clubs ↑ 3 promotion spots
Central Scottish Amateur Football League 25 clubs	1	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	Championship 13 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League 41 clubs	1	Division 1 12 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot
	2	Division 2 12 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot
	3	Division 3A 9 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spots+ 1 promotion playoff spot	Division 3B 8 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spots+ 1 promotion playoff spot
Kingdom of Fife Amateur Football Association 35 clubs	1	Premier League 12 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	Championship 12 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 2 relegation spots
	3	Division 1 11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Lothian & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Saturday) 49 clubs	1	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spot
	2	Championship 12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spot ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3	Division 1 12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spot ↓ TBC relegation spot
	2	Division 2 13 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spot
Midlands Amateur Football Association 14 clubs	1	Premier Division 14 clubs
Perthshire Amateur Football Association 21 clubs	1	Division One 10 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	Division Two 11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Scottish Amateur Football League 16 clubs	1	Premier 16 clubs
Stirling & District Amateur Football Association 11 clubs	1	Premier Division 11 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
Dundee Saturday Morning Amateur Football League 39 clubs	1	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot + 2 relegation playoff spots
	2	1st Division 12 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot + 2 promotion playoff spots ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot
	3	2nd Division 15 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot + 2 promotion playoff spots
Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association 34 clubs	1	Premier Division 14 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	Division One (A) 10 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot	Division One (B) 10 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot
Saturday Morning Amateur Football League 64 clubs	1	Premier Division 14 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Championship 14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Division 1A 14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots	Division 1B 12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots
Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League 22 clubs	1	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot
	2	Division 1 10 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot

Saturday Leagues (Summer)

Leagues	Divisions
Caithness Amateur Football Association 14 clubs	1	Division 1 8 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot
	2	Division 2 6 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot
Inverness & District Amateur Football Association 26 clubs	1	Premier Division 8 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot
	2	1st Division 8 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot ↓ 1 relegation spot
	3	2nd Division 10 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot
Lewis & Harris Amateur League 9 clubs	1	9 clubs
North West Sutherland Amateur Football League 8 clubs	1	8 clubs
Orkney Amateur Football Association 12 clubs	1	A League 7 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot
	2	B League 5 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot
Shetland Amateur Football Association 8 clubs	1	Premier League 8 clubs
West Highland Amateur Football Association 7 clubs	1	7 clubs
Uist & Barra Amateur Football Association 6 clubs	1	6 clubs

Sunday Leagues

Leagues	Divisions
Aberdeen Sunday Football Association 17 clubs	1	Premier Division 8 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	First Division 9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots
Airdrie & Coatbridge Sunday Amateur Football League 40 clubs	1	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Championship Division 13 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3	First Division 15 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots
Ayrshire Sunday Amateur Football Association 11 clubs	1	Division 1 11 clubs
Dumfries Sunday Amateur Football League 14 clubs	1	Premier Division 15 clubs
Fife Sunday Amateur Football League 16 clubs	1	Premier Division 6 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot
	2	Championship 10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Glasgow & District Sunday Championship Amateur Football League 43 clubs	1	Premiership 10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Championship 12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3	Division 1 11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	4	Division 2 10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
Lothians & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Sunday) 49 clubs		Mornings	Afternoons
	1	Premier Division 10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots	Premier Division 14 clubs
	2	Championship 11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3	Division 1 14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots
Football Central Amateur Football League 54 clubs		Lanarkshire	–
	1	Premier Division 10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots	Premier Division 12 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots
	2	Championship 9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots	Championship 12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots
	3		First Division 11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots

Welfare football

Roughly concurrent with the Scottish Amateur Football Association is the Scottish Welfare Football Association, which has a very low profile nationally. The SWFA was established in the aftermath of World War I, and oversees leagues mainly operating Sunday and summer or midweek football, predominantly in the north of Scotland.

From a peak of over 500 clubs, there were 158 teams in membership in November 2012,^[12] down from 238 teams in 2007.^[13]

As of Season 2022 (Summer) and 2022–23 (Winter) there are 100 teams in 8 geographic leagues, plus 13 clubs playing in Warriors Premier League.

Leagues	Divisions
Summer
Forres and Nairn District Welfare Association League 10 clubs	1	West Conference 5 clubs	East Conference 5 clubs
Forth & Endrick Football League 10 clubs	1	10 clubs
Deeside Welfare Football Association 8 clubs	1	Mid-Deeside Summer League 8 clubs
Moray & District Welfare Football Association 10 clubs	1	10 clubs
North East Scotland Welfare Football Association 20 clubs	1	League 1 9 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots
	2	League 2 11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots
Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare Football Association 6 clubs	1	6 clubs
Winter
Greenock & District Welfare League 16 clubs	1	16 clubs
Montrose and District Welfare League 11 clubs	1	11 clubs
Warriors Premier League 13 clubs	1	13 clubs

Reserve and Youth football

The reserve and youth leagues are mostly governed by the relevant adult leagues.

Leagues		Divisions
SPFL Reserve League 9 clubs (SPFL Premiership, Championship, League One)	Reserve	1	9 clubs
Lowlands Development League 95 clubs	Youth (U20)	1	Conference A 13 clubs (SPFL League One, League Two, Lowland League)	Conference B 14 clubs (Lowland League, EoS League)	Conference C 14 clubs (EoS League)	Conference D 13 clubs (EoS League, WoS League)	Conference E 13 clubs (WoS League)	Conference F 14 clubs (WoS League)	Conference G 14 clubs (WoS League)
Aberdeenshire and District League 11 clubs (Aberdeenshire and District FA)	Youth (U21)	1	11 clubs
North of Scotland FA U20 League 4 clubs	Youth (U20)	1	4 clubs
Highland League U18 19 clubs	Youth (U18)	1	East 8 clubs			North 11 clubs
SFA Club Academy Scotland Elite League 9 clubs (CAS Elite Level)	Youth (U11-18)	1	U11	U13	U14	U15	U16	U18
			9 clubs
SFA Club Academy Scotland Performance League 10 clubs (CAS Performance Level)	Youth (U11-18)	1	U11	U13	U14	U15	U16	U18
			10 clubs
SFA Advanced Youth League 6 clubs (Advanced Youth Programme)	Youth (U16-18)	1	U16			U18
			6 clubs
Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Development Section 15 clubs	Youth	1	15 clubs
Midlands Amateur Football Association Alliance League 12 clubs	Reserve	1	Championship 12 clubs
Orkney Amateur Football Association Reserve League 8 clubs	Reserve	1	8 clubs
Shetland Amateur Football Association Reserve League 11 clubs	Reserve	1	11 clubs

Women's system

Senior football

Senior leagues of women's football in Scotland are structured as follows:

Level	League(s) / Division(s)
	National Leagues
1	Scottish Women's Premier League 1 12 clubs playing 27 games ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot
2	Scottish Women's Premier League 2 8 clubs playing 28 games ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot
3	Scottish Women's Championship 8 clubs playing 28 games ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot
4	Scottish Women's League One 12 clubs playing 27 games ↑ 2 promotion spots
	Regional Leagues
5	Scottish Women's Football League
	SWFL North 10 clubs playing 18 games ↑ TBC promotion spots	SWFL East 11 clubs playing 20 games ↑ TBC promotion spots	SWFL South 10 clubs playing 18 games ↑ TBC promotion spots	SWFL West 9 clubs playing 16 games ↑ TBC promotion spots
–	Highlands and Islands League 8 clubs playing 14 games

Youth football

Scottish Women's Football National Performance League
	U19		U16
	13 clubs		8 clubs
Scottish Women's Football Youth Regional League (Summer)
	U18	U16	U14
Central	Cross Region Emma Mitchell League 11 clubs	Sam Kerr League 11 clubs	Fiona Brown League 7 clubs Lee Alexander League 8 clubs Nicola Docherty League 7 clubs
West		Leanne Crichton League 13 clubs	Chloe Arthur League 8 clubs Jen Beattie League 13 clubs
South West		Erin Cuthbert League 11 clubs	Erin Cuthbert League 10 clubs Lee Alexander League 11 clubs
South East	Cross Region Jenna Fife League 6 clubs Kirsty Smith League 8 clubs	Joelle Murray League 9 clubs Lizzie Arnot League 10 clubs	Frankie Brown League 12 clubs Joelle Murray League 10 clubs Lizzie Arnot League 10 clubs
East		Caroline Weir League 11 clubs Abbi Grant League 8 clubs	Lucy Graham League 9 clubs Caroline Weir League 9 clubs Lana Clelland League 5 clubs
North	Kim Little League 8 clubs	Kim Little League 13 clubs	Rachel Corsie League 7 clubs Christy Grimshaw League 7 clubs Rachel McLauchlan League 6 clubs

Cup competitions

The Scottish Women's Cup is open to all senior teams affiliated with Scottish Women's Football. There are also the Scottish Women's Football League Cup, Scottish Women's Football League Plate, Scottish Women's Championship Cup, and Highlands & Islands League Cup.^[14]

See also

• List of association football competitions
• List of football clubs in Scotland

References

1. "The Rules of the SPFL" (PDF). Scottish Professional Football League. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
2. "Smith wants pyramid system". sportinglife.com. 2008-06-04. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
3. "SPL clubs agree league reform package for next season". BBC Sport. 2013-05-07. Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
4. The dutiful game: Welcome to the world of junior football in Scotland Archived 2019-12-31 at the Wayback Machine, The Scotsman, 23 May 2010
5. The Rise of the Juniors Archived 2022-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Craig Anderson, In Bed with Maradona, 2 November 2010
6. Why Junior football should never grow up Archived 2019-12-17 at the Wayback Machine, Scott Fleming, Nutmeg Magazine, 1 December 2016
7. Durent, Jamie (14 April 2020). "Talk of north junior football clubs being ready for Highland League promotion plan 'premature'". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
8. "North Region Joins Pyramid At Tier 6". The North Region Junior Football Association. 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
9. "SAFA Winter Saturday". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
10. "SAFA Winter Sunday". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
11. "SAFA Summer/Highlands". Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
12. "Scottish Welfare FA Club Directory". 2012-11-12. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
13. "Scottish Amateur League - An Ongoing Resume". Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
14. "Fixtures and Results - Scottish Women's Football". Scottish Women's Football. 2023-03-04. Archived from the original on 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2023-03-04.