2025–26 Scottish Challenge Cup


The 2025–26 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the KDM Evolution Trophy due to sponsorship reasons, is the 34th season of the competition. The total number of participating clubs is 40. The competition began on 12 August 2025 with the new league phase and the final will take place on either the weekend of 28/29 March or 4/5 April 2026.
Thirty teams from the Championship, League One and League Two compete, along with 10 B teams from the 12 clubs who compete in the Scottish Premiership.

League phase

The draw was made on 17 July 2025 at 13:00 and broadcast live on the . The draw was regionalised and divided into 3 pots. The matches were played from 12 August 2025 to 19 November 2025.

North Section

Draw

Teams entering the competition in the league phase:
Pot APot BPot C

  • Elgin City
  • Forfar Athletic
  • Stirling Albion
  • The Spartans
  • Aberdeen B
  • Dundee B
  • Dundee United B
  • Hibernian B

    • South Section

    Draw

    Teams entering the competition in the league phase:
    Pot APot BPot C

  • Annan Athletic
  • Clyde
  • Dumbarton
  • East Kilbride
  • Edinburgh City
  • Stranraer
  • Celtic B
  • Heart of Midlothian B
  • Kilmarnock B
  • Motherwell B
  • Rangers B
  • St Mirren B

    • League phase matches

    ;Notes

    League phase table


    Second round

    The draw for the second round was made on 21 November at 1pm live on the .

    Draw

    Teams that enter the competition in the second round.

    Third round

    The draw was made on 11 December at 1pm live on the .
    Teams in bold advanced to the quarter-finals.
    Teams in italics were not known at the time of the draw.
    ChampionshipLeague OneLeague Two

  • East Fife
  • Inverness Caledonian Thistle
  • Montrose
  • Queen of the South
  • Stenhousemuir
  • Forfar Athletic
  • Stirling Albion
  • Stranraer

    • Quarter-finals

    The draw was made on 15 January at 1pm live on the .
    Teams in bold advanced to the semi-finals.
    ChampionshipLeague One

  • Inverness Caledonian Thistle
  • Stenhousemuir

    • Semi-finals

    The draw was made on 15 January at 1pm along with the quarter-final draw.