Hearts face Dunfermline in League Cup – full draw.

Derek McInnes, Heart of Midlothian’s new head coach, will meet Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic in the 2025-26 Scottish League Cup group stage. The Edinburgh side has been drawn against the Pars, who are led by the former Celtic and Hibernian manager, as well as Hamilton Academical, Dumbarton, and Stirling Albion in the first round of the competition. Hearts lost 2-0 to Championship side Falkirk in the final 16 of last season’s League Cup, which they haven’t won since 1962-63.

Kilmarnock, who have recruited Stuart Kettlewell to succeed McInnes, and newly promoted Livingston are in Group H, which also includes Kelty Hearts, East Fife, and Brora Rangers. Scott Brown’s Ayr United are in Group D with St Mirren, the only team from the top six of the 2024-25 Premiership season to be included at this point. Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian, Dundee United, and Aberdeen are exempt from the group phase because they play in Europe.

Forty teams from the Premiership, including Bonnyrigg Rose of the Lowland League, Highland League champions Brora Rangers, and Highland League runners-up Brechin City, were divided into eight pools.

The matches will begin on 12/13 July with further fixtures on 15/16, 19/20, 22/23 and 26/27 July.
The top team from each group, as well as the three best runners-up, advance to the last 16 on the weekend of August 16/17, where they will be joined by teams competing in Europe. The quarter-finals will take place on September 20/21, the semi-finals on November 1/2, and the final at Hampden on Sunday, December 14. Celtic won the League Cup last season, defeating holders Rangers 5-4 on penalties in the final.

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