SPFL cup competition expanded as 10 guest clubs accept invitations and prize money confirmed
The tournament will now involve a 40-club league phase before the knockout stages
The SPFL has announced an expanded Challenge Cup format for next season including 10 guest clubs.
The competition, known as the KDM Evolution Trophy for sponsorship reasons, was revamped last season into a single league-phase first round inspired by UEFA club competitions.
It involved 30 clubs from League One, League Two and the Premiership B teams competing across six matchdays with the top 22 in the final table joining Championship clubs in the knockout stages.
Raith Rovers went on to lift the trophy, defeating Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4-1 in the final at Firhill.
For next season the league phase has been increased to 40 clubs with 10 teams joining from the Highland League and the Lowland League, East and West, making up the numbers.
The clubs who have accepted an invite to take part are Banks o’Dee, Berwick Rangers, Bonnyrigg Rose, Clachnacuddin, Clydebank, Cowdenbeath, Cumbernauld Colts, Formartine United, Fraserburgh and Gala Fairydean Rovers.
Clubs participating in the league phase will be split into four pots by division, with each club playing two different opponents from each other pot, totalling six matches. Premiership B teams will again play all league phase matches away from home.
Points gained by clubs across six matchdays will feed into one league table, with the top 22 clubs qualifying for the last 32, where Championship clubs will enter as seeded clubs, alongside teams finishing in the top six of the league phase, with the remainder of the competition following a traditional knock-out format.
The new set-up is aimed at providing more opportunities for under 21s while prospects aged 15 will continue to be eligible to participate in the competititon following a successful trial last season.
Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPFL, said: “We are delighted to build on the success of last season’s new-look competition by inviting 10 guest clubs to participate in next season’s tournament, which will be sure to benefit the community clubs we have invited and provide new challenges for our member clubs.
“While we will continue to minimise travel with broadly regionalised league phase matches, following discussions with our members, home clubs will now retain gate receipts in full in the league phase, to support clubs financially.”
Prize money and fixture dates
The SPFL has confirmed that last season's prize money has been maintained for the 2026-27 tournament meaning over £1.3 million in prize money will be shared by participants as follows:
Winners - £150,000
Runners-up - £100,000
Eliminated in semi-finals - £75,000
Eliminated in quarter-finals - £50,000
Eliminated in Round of 16 - £40,000
Eliminated in Round of 32 - £30,000
Eliminated in league phase - £15,000 - £18,500 (depending on final league position)
The KDM Evolution Trophy league phase will commence on the midweek of August 11-12 with round of 32 taking place on November 3-4. The final will be staged on either the weekend of March 27-28 or April 3-4.
The fixtures for the league phase will be published on Thursday, July 16 at 1pm. The full list of fixture dates are as follows:
League Phase MD1 - 11/12 August 2026
League Phase MD2 - 25/26 August 2026
League Phase MD3 - 8/9 September 2026
League Phase MD4 - 22/23 September 2026
League Phase MD5 - 26/27 September 2026
League Phase MD6 - 13 October 2026
Round of 32 - 3/4 November 2026
Round of 16 - 24/25 November 2026
Quarter-finals - 12/13 January 2027
Semi-finals - 9/10 February 2027
Final - 27/28 March or 3/4 April 2027
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