[Larry-AV]

08/06/2016 : Details from the SPFL website of the new format for the Scottish Challenge Cup.

SPFL - Challenge Cup expansion announced

A snapshot of the new format for the 2016/17 Scottish Challenge Cup is as follows:

• Round 1 (August) – 28 teams: 12 x Ladbrokes Premiership u20 teams, 8 x Ladbrokes League 2 teams, 4 x Highland League teams, 4 x Lowland League teams
• Round 2 (August) – 24 teams: 14 x Round 1 winners, remaining 2 x Ladbrokes League 2 teams, 8 x Ladbrokes League 1 teams
• Round 3 (September) – 24 teams: 12 x Round 2 winners, 10 x Ladbrokes Championship teams, remaining 2 x Ladbrokes League 1 teams
• Round 4 (October) – 16 teams: 12 x Round 3 winners, 2 x Northern Ireland Football League teams, 2 x Welsh Premier League teams
• Quarter-finals (November): 8 x winners from Round 4
• Semi-finals (February): 4 x winners from Quarter-finals
• Final (March): 2 x winners from Semi-finals

Draws will be regionalised throughout the competition, and seeded from Rounds 1-3 only. During Rounds 1-3 inclusive up to two matches per round will be shown live (one by BBC ALBA and one by Premier Sports) with a number of options available to all three broadcasters from Round 4 onwards (at which stage BBC ALBA, S4C and Premier Sports will all show live matches).