⚽ The Kick-Off - Monday 25th May 2026
Celtic win the Scottish Cup. Hearts win SWPL 1. John Rankin appointed Airdrieonians' Head Coach. Alan Hale officially sacked by Elgin City. Shankland to join Rangers. Confirmed SPFL signings list.
Random Scottish Football Fact #316:
Hearts are the fifth different winner of SWPL 1 in the past five seasons.
WEEKEND ROUND-UP
➡️ SCOTTISH GAS SCOTTISH CUP FINAL
Celtic won the Scottish Cup for the 43rd time thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels, and Kelechi Iheanacho. Hibernian have qualified for Europe as a result.
Celtic 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic
➡️ SCOTTISHPOWER SWPL 1
Congratulations to Hearts on winning the SWPL 1 title. Rangers knew they could win the title if Hearts lost at Hibernian. Hibs beat the Jambos 2-0, but Rangers crashed to an incredible 6-0 defeat away to Glasgow City to hand Hearts their first ever SWPL 1 title.
Celtic 1-1 Partick Thistle
Hibernian 2 - 0 Heart of Midlothian
Glasgow City 6 - 0 Rangers
View the final SWPL table here
NEWS
♦️ John Rankin has been appointed Airdrieonians’ new head coach. - Airdrieonians website
⚫ Elgin City announced via social media that they had sacked manager Alan Hale on Friday following an internal investigation for gross misconduct. - Elgin City on X
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🔵 Normally, unless signings are officially announced, they don’t usually get mentioned in The Kick-Off; however, it is being widely reported that Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland is set to join Rangers on a free transfer. The 30-year-old scored 16 goals in the Premiership this season. - Tom English, BBC
🆚 It has been confirmed that Hearts will face either Fenerbahce or Sturm Graz in the second round of Champions League qualifying. - Joel Sked, Hearts Standard
🔎 The SPFL announced disciplinary investigations into five different end-of-season games. - SPFL website
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Hamilton Academical – Saturday 2 May 2026
Motherwell v Celtic – Wednesday 13 May 2026
Hamilton Academical v Clyde – Friday 15 May 2026
Celtic v Heart of Midlothian – Saturday 16 May 2026
Stenhousemuir v Alloa Athletic – Saturday 16 May 2026
✍️ The list of latest SPFL signings:
Dumbarton have bolstered their front line with the signing of Stranraer striker Deryn Lang. - Dumbarton FC website
Dundee United have signed goalkeeper Jack Walton on a three-year deal from Preston North End. The 28-year-old previously spent two seasons on loan at Tannadice. - Dundee United website
East Kilbride have signed winger Craig McGuffie from Peterhead. - East Kilbride on X
Livingston are busy in the transfer market once again. The Lions announced the signing of midfielder Cammy Palmer on a pre-contract from Glentoran. - Livingston FC website
Queen’s Park announced the permanent signing of Scott Martin from Partick Thistle. The midfielder was on loan at the Spiders towards the end of the season. - Queen’s Park FC website
Ross County have brought in former Greenock Morton and Airdrieonians defender Lewis Trapp. - Ross County website
🔚 Brian Graham, Gary Oliver, Jamie Sneddon, and Sean Mackie have all left Falkirk at the end of their contracts. Dylan Tait is in discussions with the club following the expiry of his contract. - Falkirk FC website
🔴 Clyde have released Lennon Connolly, Brian Kinnear, Robbie Leitch, Ross Lyon, Shay Nevans and Mouhamed Niang. - Clyde FC website
🔚 Lewis Spence has left East Kilbride after failing to agree terms with the League One club. - East Kilbride on X
📝 The list of latest SPFL contract extensions:
Annan Athletic have agreed a new deal with left-back Cammy Clark. - Annan Athletic website
Celtic have extended winger Yang’s contract until 2030. - Celtic FC website
Dumbarton’s Somali international defender Oli Omar has extended his contract. - Dumbarton FC website
East Fife defender Andy Munro has signed a one-year contract extension. - East Fife website
Hamilton Academical have extended Dominic Shiels’ contract. Youth goalkeeper Neil Stafford has also signed a new deal. - Hamilton Academical website
Kilmarnock goalkeeper Max Stryjek has signed a new one-year contract. - Kilmarnock FC website
Queen’s Park midfielder Aidan Connolly has signed a new two-year deal. - Queen’s Park FC website
St Johnstone captain Jason Holt has signed a new one-year deal at McDiarmid Park. - St Johnstone website
⚽️ Che Adams came off the bench for Torino to score the equaliser in their 2-2 draw with Juventus last night.
⚽ Oli McBurnie scored the only goal of the EFL Championship Play-Off Final as Hull City beat Middlesbrough 1-0 to win promotion to the Premier League.
🔚 Andy Robertson played his final game for Liverpool yesterday in a 1-1 draw with Brentford.
🟢 Martin O’Neill expects Celtic winger Jota to miss the start of next season with injury. - Josh McCafferty, The Celtic Way
📋 Former Brazil captain Thiago Silva has been in Scotland this week as he works towards his UEFA A Licence with the Scottish FA. Also on the course are Stephen O’Donnell, Rachel Corsie, and Gary Mackay-Steven.
🏟️ Nottingham Forest held a special celebration for the late John Robertson as they renamed a stand at the City Ground after the former Scotland international. - Nottingham Forest website
🏆 Stranraer Reserves are looking to make it three cup final wins out of three in the space of 10 days over Dalbeattie Star.
On Wednesday, Stranraer beat South of Scotland League champions Dalbeattie 1-0 in the Potts Cup Final. They then beat them 4-2 in the Cree Lodge Final on Friday. This Friday, they face each other again in the Tweedie Cup Final. - Giancarlo Rinaldi, BBC
WORLD CUP
🏫 Glasgow Clyde College is hosting a one-off World Cup Masterclass at their Langside campus. The free ‘course’ led by Craig Telfer and Hamish Husband takes place on Thursday from 6pm - 8pm. - Register your place here
⌛ Last call for the final team space at The World Cup Quiz hosted by Rory Hamilton next Monday in Glasgow. Plenty of prizes and a free Nutmeg magazine for every participant. - enter here
🌎 Days until Haiti v Scotland at the World Cup: 19
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
➡️ William Hill SPFL Premiership Play-Off Final Second Leg
St Mirren (1) v (1) Partick Thistle (8pm - live on Sky Sports Football)
➡️ Midlands League Premier League
Kirriemuir Thistle v Dundee North End (6.45pm)
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