Scottish Premiership could increase OR decrease in size with SPFL meeting planned to discuss reconstruction... although substantial hurdles remain
The Scottish Premiership could be about to increase or decrease in size, with four options on the table ahead of talks about potential league reconstruction.
The top flight is currently made up of 12 teams, and maintaining the status quo remains a possibility.
However, the Scottish Professional Football League’s working group, comprising representatives from clubs in all four divisions, is also exploring the possibility of a 10, 14 or 16-team league.
Meetings are being planned to establish the best way forward, although any change would require a significant majority vote from the SPFL’s member clubs.
An SPFL spokesperson said: ‘The SPFL’s competitions working group will be meeting shortly to discuss several different options for league reconstruction.’
Reconstruction talks have been partly driven by an increased strain on the fixture schedule, with extra European matches leaving fewer available dates in the domestic calendar.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster back in 2013 launching the new SPFL brand
Premiership sides currently play 38 league fixtures per season.
Any proposed change would require the backing of 11 out of 12 Premiership clubs plus 75 per cent of Premiership and Championship clubs combined, as well as 75 per cent of the 42 SPFL clubs combined in order to pass.
Scotland’s top flight has consisted of 12 teams since switching from 10 for the 2000-01 season.
There has long been a demand from many supporters to see the league increased in number in order to add variety and cut down on the number of times teams face each other in a season.
However, there is also concern among those responsible for sourcing TV and sponsorship deals that increasing the number of teams in the league would dilute the overall quality and reduce the number of showpiece fixtures between the bigger clubs.
Meanwhile, all Premiership clubs playing in European play-off round fixtures next season will be able to request postponement of one specific league match following a new policy approved by the SPFL Board.
In a move designed to enhance their preparations for the tie, any clubs involved in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League play-off round will have the option to reschedule their domestic fixture on the weekend of August 23-24, which falls between the first and second legs.
An SPFL statement read: ‘The SPFL’s Competitions Working Group had been exploring how the league could best support clubs aiming to reach the league phase of UEFA competitions amid an extremely congested fixture calendar, due to the additional dates required for UEFA club competitions from this season.
‘The Competitions Working Group - which includes a number of top-flight clubs - has now unanimously made a recommendation to the SPFL Board to introduce a policy allowing any club participating in a match in a UEFA club competition play-off round to apply to the SPFL for a postponement of its William Hill Premiership round-three match without the consent of its opponent.
‘To date, any such postponement would have required the agreement of the opposing club and the league. The new policy, which has the support of the SPFL’s broadcast partners, has been approved by the SPFL Board for season 2025/26.’
