Wednesday 31st May 2017
The SPFL is pleased to announce the seeding pots and numbers for this Friday’s 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw.
The draw will be conducted live on BT Sport 2 at 6.30pm this Friday (2 June), as well as being streamed live and free-to-view on BT Sport’s Facebook page and Twitter feed
@btsportfootball, with the live stream shared by the SPFL’s own social media channels.
The draw comprises 40 clubs: the 38 SPFL clubs not participating in European competitions plus East Kilbride (Lowland League champions) and Buckie Thistle (Highland League
champions).
The format of the 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw is as follows:
The draw will produce eight groups of five teams on a regionalised basis – four ‘North’ groups and four ‘South’ groups.
All eight groups will be made up of one 1st seed, one 2nd seed and three unseeded clubs.
Prior to the draw the 40 participating teams are placed into one of three pots based on league positions at the end of season 2016/17 – 8 x 1st seeds, 8 x 2nd seeds and
24 x unseeded teams. Each of the pots is then individually split into two equal halves: North and South
o 8 x 1st seeds = 4 x North and 4 x South;
o 8 x 2nd seeds = 4 x North and 4 x South;
o 24 x Unseeded = 12 x North and 12 x South.
The 2017 Betfred Cup will kick off another season of Scottish football and follows a hugely successful first year in the competition’s unique format which saw a number of innovations introduced. BT Sport continue as broadcast partner of the Betfred Cup for a second season.
The Group Stage draw sees the 40 participating clubs scheduled to play four games across five match dates – 15 July, 19 July, 22 July, 26 July and 29 July (subject to broadcast selections).
The format, announced in advance of the 2016 Betfred Cup, sees all drawn Group Stage matches go straight to a penalty shoot-out with the winners earning an extra ‘bonus point’
in addition to the traditional point given for a draw. The eight group winners and four best runners-up progress to the last 16 where they are joined by holders Celtic and fellow European representatives Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone.
It is anticipated that, following Friday’s evening’s 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw, the Group Stage fixture list and TV selections will be published week commencing Monday, 5 June.
1 Heart of Midlothian N 1st Seeds
2 Ross County N 1st Seeds
3 Dundee N 1st Seeds
4 Inverness Caledonian Thistle N 1st Seeds
5 Partick Thistle S 1st Seeds
6 Kilmarnock S 1st Seeds
7 Motherwell S 1st Seeds
8 Hamilton Academical S 1st Seeds
9 Hibernian N 2nd Seeds
10 Falkirk N 2nd Seeds
11 Dundee United N 2nd Seeds
12 Dunfermline Athletic N 2nd Seeds
13 Morton S 2nd Seeds
14 Queen of the South S 2nd Seeds
15 St Mirren S 2nd Seeds
16 Dumbarton S 2nd Seeds
17 Raith Rovers N Unseeded
18 Alloa Athletic N Unseeded
19 Brechin City N Unseeded
20 East Fife N Unseeded
21 Peterhead N Unseeded
22 Arbroath N Unseeded
23 Forfar Athletic N Unseeded
24 Montrose N Unseeded
25 Elgin City N Unseeded
26 Stirling Albion N Unseeded
27 Cowdenbeath N Unseeded
28 Buckie Thistle N Unseeded
29 Ayr United S Unseeded
30 Livingston S Unseeded
31 Airdrieonians S Unseeded
32 Queen’s Park S Unseeded
33 Stranraer S Unseeded
34 Albion Rovers S Unseeded
35 Stenhousemuir S Unseeded
36 Annan Athletic S Unseeded
37 Edinburgh City S Unseeded
38 Berwick Rangers S Unseeded
39 Clyde S Unseeded
40 East Kilbride S Unseeded
Alan Findlay