Five Scottish clubs postpone fixtures for European playoffs

Five Scottish Premiership clubs have postponed their domestic fixtures scheduled for the weekend of August 22-23 to prioritize their European qualification campaigns. Celtic, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, and Motherwell have all invoked a league rule allowing them to reschedule matches if they are involved in UEFA competition playoff ties.

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) confirmed that all five clubs submitted postponement requests by a deadline on Friday, July 24. A regulation introduced in April 2025 permits clubs competing in the playoff round of a UEFA tournament to postpone their third league fixture of the season without requiring their opponents' consent. The policy is designed to give Scottish clubs better preparation for decisive European matches.

Two fixtures have been postponed immediately. Celtic's away match against St Johnstone and Rangers' home game versus St Mirren will not be played as scheduled because both clubs are already assured of playing in European playoffs the following week. Celtic are guaranteed a place in the Champions League playoff round, while Rangers will compete in either the Europa League or Conference League playoffs.