SPFL announce new season dates including Rangers flag day as champions and Scottish Premiership winter break
Kick-off for the Scottish Premiership season 2021-22 will begin on Saturday, July 31, the SPFL has announced.
The league body has set out the indicative matchday calendar with key-dates for the new campaign – including a restored top-flight winter break during January and the structure for the Betfred Cup.
It means Rangers will unfurl the league flag at Ibrox for the first time in 10 years on either July 31 or August 1 – when the remainder of the Scottish Professional Football League will also begin their league campaigns.
The Betfred Cup will again precede the league kick-off, and the cup competition’s group stage begins on July 10 with five games played over two midweeks and three weekends throughout July.
The re-introduced winter break will slot into the calendar after the traditional New Year fixtures and last until January 21, 2022 for Premiership clubs.
Once league placings and 2020-21 promotion and relegation matters are settled, specific fixtures and further match-ups will be announced in June.