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
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 a year later 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:
| Level | League(s) / Division(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Professional Football League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |
Scottish Premiership | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |
Scottish Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 |
Scottish League One | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |
Scottish League Two | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-League / Regional Leagues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |
Highland Football League |
Lowland Football League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Midlands Football League
19 clubs playing 36 games |
North Caledonian League
11 clubs playing 20 games |
North Superleague
14 clubs playing 26 games |
East of Scotland Football League Premier Division 18 clubs playing 34 games |
South of Scotland Football League
13 clubs playing 24 games |
West of Scotland Football League Premier Division 20 clubs playing 38 games | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | North First Division
8 clubs playing 21 games |
East of Scotland Football League First Division Conferences A & B 30 clubs (two conferences) playing 28 games |
West of Scotland Football League Conferences A, B & C 46 clubs (three conferences) playing 28/30 games | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | North Second Division
9 clubs playing 24 games |
East of Scotland Football League Conference X 11 clubs playing 30 games |
West of Scotland Football League Division Four 8 clubs playing 28 games | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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 is parallel to the Highland League. These divisions created level five on the pyramid and since season 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.
Below the Lowland League is the East of Scotland Football League (59 clubs, including one reserve team, split into a 18-team Premier Division, First Division conferences, and Conference X for 11 new clubs); the South of Scotland Football League (13 clubs, including two reserve teams, in a single division); and the West of Scotland Football League (74 clubs, split into a 20-team Premier Division, three conferences at Tier 7, and Division Four for 8 new clubs). An end of season promotion three match round robin play-off takes place between the champions of each league (subject to each club meeting licensing criteria) for a place in the Lowland League.
The North Caledonian Football League is based in the north of Scotland, including a club from the island of Orkney, and currently contains 11 teams. In April 2021, it was announced that the North Caledonian League, would be joined at Tier 6 by the North Superleague and a rebranded 'Midlands League' (the remaining SJFA East Region clubs that play in Tayside) to form a fully-integrated Tier 6 below the Highland League for the 2021–22 season.[4]
As of 2021–22 this totalled 285 teams across 18 divisions.
For the 2022–23 season, the Conference setup in both the East and West of Scotland Leagues will be disbanded and replaced by First, Second, and Third Divisions (at tiers 7, 8, and 9) below the Premier Division at tier 6. The North Superleague will change to a Premier Division and a Championship (at tiers 6 and 7).
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 of the runners-up. 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 non-league clubs in the Lowland area, a total of 161 (excluding reserve 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 33 clubs (2 clubs withdrew for 2021–22). This represents a total of 52 teams across 4 divisions. The term 'junior' refers not to the age of the players but the level of football played.[5][6][7] These two regions joined the pyramid system at tier 6 below the Highland League in 2021–22.
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 (3 teams are in abeyance for 2021–22), 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.[8] The northern leagues at that level entered the pyramid later in July.[9]
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[10][11][12] - 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 2021–22 there are 394 teams – in 12 geographic leagues containing a total of 35 league divisions – playing Saturday football under a regular August–May season. In addition there are 139 teams playing in four specialist Saturday Morning leagues (including one for Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association) in Dundee and Glasgow, plus 27 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; 257 teams are in the Sunday League system.
Saturday Leagues (Winter)
| Leagues | Divisions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association
62 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)
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots |
Division Two (East)
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |||
| Ayrshire Amateur Football Association
41 clubs |
1 | Premier League
9 clubs | |||
| 2 | Division 1
10 clubs ↑ 3 promotion spots ↓ 1 relegation spot | ||||
| 3 | Division 2A
11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots |
Division 2B
11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | |||
| Border Amateur Football League
31 clubs |
1 | A League
10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | B League
11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | ||||
| 3 | C League
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Caledonian Amateur Football League
27 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
14 clubs | |||
| 2 | First Division
13 clubs ↑ 3 promotion spots | ||||
| Central Scottish Amateur Football League
28 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
14 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Championship
14 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | ||||
| Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League
40 clubs |
1 | Division 1
11 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot | |||
| 2 | Division 2
10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ TBC relegation spots | ||||
| 3 | Division 3A
9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots |
Division 3B
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |||
| Kingdom of Fife Amateur Football Association
43 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
14 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Championship
14 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 2 relegation spots | ||||
| 3 | League Division One
15 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | ||||
| Lothian & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Saturday)
49 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
11 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation playoff spot | |||
| 2 | Championship
12 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot ↓ 4 relegation spots | ||||
| 3 | Division 1 (For 2022-23 season, the 2 regions will be merged) | ||||
| West
13 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 5 relegation spots (to new Division 2) |
East
13 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 5 relegation spots (to new Division 2) | ||||
| Midlands Amateur Football Association
14 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
7 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Division One
7 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Perthshire Amateur Football Association
22 clubs |
1 | Division One
11 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Division Two
11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Scottish Amateur Football League
21 clubs |
1 | Premier
10 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Division 1 Championship
11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | ||||
| Stirling & District Amateur Football Association
18 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
9 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | First Division
9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Dundee Saturday Morning Amateur Football League
39 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
12 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | 1st Division
12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | ||||
| 3 | 2nd Division
15 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Glasgow & District Saturday Morning Amateur Football League
30 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
16 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | 1st Division
14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||||
| Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association
31 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
12 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Division One (a)
9 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot |
Division One (b)
10 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot | |||
| Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League
37 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
13 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||
| 2 | Championship A
9 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots |
Championship B
7 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots |
Championship C
8 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||
| Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League
27 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
14 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot | |||
| 2 | Division 1
13 clubs ↑ 1 promotion spot | ||||
Saturday Leagues (Summer)
| Leagues | Divisions | |
|---|---|---|
| Caithness Amateur Football Association
14 clubs |
1 | Division 1
8 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots |
| 2 | Division 2
6 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |
| Inverness & District Amateur Football Association
26 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
8 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots |
| 2 | 1st Division
8 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | |
| 3 | 2nd Division
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |
| Lewis & Harris Amateur League
9 clubs |
1 | 9 clubs |
| North West Sutherland Amateur Football League
12 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 |
| Skye & Lochalsh Amateur Football Association
8 clubs |
1 | 7 clubs |
| Uist & Barra Amateur Football Association
6 clubs |
1 | 6 clubs |
Sunday Leagues
| Leagues | Divisions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Sunday Football Association
16 clubs |
1 | 16 clubs | ||||
| Airdrie & Coatbridge Sunday Amateur Football League
30 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
12 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | ||||
| 2 | Championship
14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||||
| 3 | Division 1
14 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |||||
| Ayrshire Sunday Amateur Football Association
12 clubs |
1 | Division 1
12 clubs | ||||
| Dumfries Sunday Amateur Football League
14 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
14 clubs | ||||
| Fife Sunday Amateur Football League
18 clubs |
1 | Premier Division
8 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot | ||||
| 2 | Championship
10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | |||||
| Glasgow & District Sunday Championship Amateur Football League
44 clubs |
1 | Premiership
10 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | ||||
| 2 | Championship
12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||||
| 3 | Division 1
12 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||||
| 4 | Division 2
10 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |||||
| Lothians & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Sunday)
59 clubs |
Mornings | Afternoons | ||||
| 1 | Premier Division
10 clubs ↓ 1 relegation spot |
Premier Division
9 clubs ↓ 2 relegation spots | ||||
| 2 | Championship
10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots, ↓ 2 relegation spots |
Division 1
11 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots | ||||
| 3 | Division 1 (West)
10 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot |
Division 1 (East)
9 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot |
||||
| Sunday Central Amateur Football League
64 clubs |
1 | Division A
14 clubs |
Division B
12 clubs |
Division C
12 clubs |
Division D
12 clubs |
Lanarkshire Division
14 clubs |
| top 3 of each Division form Premiership, 4-6 form Champipnship, then Division 1 and 2. | ||||||
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.
As of 2022 (Summer) and 2021–22 (Winter) there are 88 teams in 8 geographic leagues. From a peak of over 500 clubs, there were 158 teams in membership in November 2012,[13] down from 238 teams in 2007.[14]
| 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
7 clubs |
1 | Abbeyside League
7 clubs | |
| North East Scotland Welfare Football Association
20 clubs |
1 | League 1
9 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |
| 2 | League 2
11 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | ||
| Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare Football Association
6 clubs |
1 | 6 clubs | |
| Winter | |||
| Greenock & District Welfare League
16 clubs |
1 | Section 1
8 clubs |
Section 2
8 clubs |
| Montrose and District Welfare League
9 clubs |
1 | 9 clubs | |
Reserve and Youth football
The reserve and youth leagues are mostly governed by the relevant adult leagues.
| Leagues | Divisions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||||||||
| 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
17 clubs |
Youth
(U18) |
1 | East
6 clubs |
North
11 clubs | ||||
| Lowlands Development League
75 clubs |
Youth
(U20) |
1 | Conference A
15 clubs (SPFL, Lowland league, WoS League) |
Conference B
14 clubs (EoS League) |
Conference C
13 clubs (EoS League) |
Conference D
13 clubs (WoS League, SoS League) |
Conference E
11 clubs (WoS League) |
Conference F
9 clubs (WoS League) |
| Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Development Section
7 clubs |
Youth | 1 | 7 clubs | |||||
| Midlands Amateur Football Association Alliance League
12 clubs |
Reserve | 1 | League One
6 clubs ↓ TBC relegation spots | |||||
| 2 | League Two
6 clubs ↑ TBC promotion spots | |||||||
| 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 | |||
| 2 |
Scottish Women's Premier League 2 | |||
| 3 | Scottish Women's Championship | |||
|
Championship North |
Championship South | |||
| Regional Leagues | ||||
| – | Scottish Women's Football League | Scottish Women's Highland and Island League
9 clubs playing 8 games | ||
| SWFL Central/South East
11 clubs playing 20 games |
SWFL West/South West
12 clubs playing 22 games |
SWFL North/East
9 clubs playing 27 games | ||
Youth football
| Scottish Women's Football National Performance League | |||
| U19 | U16 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| West | East | 8 clubs | |
| 8 clubs | 8 clubs | ||
| Scottish Women's Football Youth Regional League | |||
| U17 | U15 | U13 | |
| Central | Cross Region
Emma Mitchell League 8 clubs Jen Beattie League 9 clubs |
Fiona Brown League 7 clubs
Lee Alexander League 8 clubs |
Fiona Brown League 8 clubs
Martha Thomas League 8 clubs Nicola Docherty League 7 clubs Sam Kerr League 9 clubs |
| West | Chloe Arthur League 6 clubs
Leanne Crichton League 8 clubs |
Chloe Arthur League 10 clubs
Jane Ross League 7 clubs Jen Beattie League 9 clubs | |
| South East | South
Jenna Fife League 6 clubs Kirsty Smith League 6 clubs |
Frankie Brown League 8 clubs
Joelle Murray League 9 clubs Lizzie Arnot League 9 clubs |
Hayley Lauder League (9-a-side) 6 clubs
Jenna Fife League (9-a-side) 7 clubs Frankie Brown League 8 clubs Joelle Murray League 7 clubs Lizzie Arnot League 8 clubs |
| South West | Christie Murray League 7 clubs
Jo Love League 7 clubs |
Christie Murray League 9 clubs
Erin Cuthbert League 9 clubs Lee Alexander League 9 clubs | |
| East | Kirsty Smith League 9 clubs | Caroline Weir League 7 clubs
Abbi Grant League (9-a-side) 11 clubs |
Lisa Evans League 8 clubs
Lucy Graham League 6 clubs Caroline Weir League 7 clubs Lana Clelland League 7 clubs |
| North | Kim Little League 10 clubs | Claire Emslie League 13 clubs
Rachel McLauchlan League 4 clubs |
Claire Emslie League 12 clubs
Kim Little League 14 clubs Rachel McLauchlan League 4 clubs |
References
- "The Rules of the SPFL" (PDF). Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- "Smith wants pyramid system". sportinglife.com. 2008-06-04. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
- "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.
- Law, Danny. "Relegation play-offs look set to be introduced to the Highland League from next season". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
- The dutiful game: Welcome to the world of junior football in Scotland, The Scotsman, 23 May 2010
- The Rise of the Juniors, Craig Anderson, In Bed with Maradona, 2 November 2010
- Why Junior football should never grow up, Scott Fleming, Nutmeg Magazine, 1 December 2016
- Durent, Jamie. "Talk of north junior football clubs being ready for Highland League promotion plan 'premature'". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- "North Region Joins Pyramid At Tier 6". The North Region Junior Football Association. 6 July 2021.
- "SAFA Winter Saturday".
- "SAFA Winter Sunday".
- "SAFA Summer/Highlands".
- "Scottish Welfare FA Club Directory". 2012-11-12.
- "Scottish Amateur League - An Ongoing Resume".