LET THE GAMES BEGIN

SPFL chief operating officer Calum Beattie takes Record Sport through the ins and outs of putting together a season of blockbuster fixtures

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WHAT are your thoughts on the 2025/26 fixture lists? This was my fifth year in charge of the process and, as I always say, there is no such thing as a perfect fixture list!

Clubs and supporters understandably focus on their own schedules but our job is to try to produce the most balanced set of fixtures for each of the four divisions.

There are always things you would like to improve on but overall I'm content.

Who produces the fixtures?

This is our 10th season working in conjunction with GotSport, who are based in the United States.

They work with a number of other European leagues including Switzerland, Poland, and Greece as well as CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, and the CBF in Brazil.

GotSport use optimisation software to come up with a set of fixtures based on the information and restrictions we provide. A number of versions will be produced and refined before a final decision is made.

What are some of the biggest challenges when compiling the fixtures?

The recent changes to the three UEFA competitions mean there are now 10 dates across the new league phase.

Clubs in the Champions League and Europa League play eight matches, with six fixtures in the Conference League.

Each tournament has one exclusive matchday, hence the total of 10 fixture dates that we have to avoid for Premiership fixtures. That loss of four fixture slots means that unfortunately a winter break is not possible.

To highlight the lack of room for manoeuvre, the first midweek that is completely clear is Tuesday December 23. To ensure the Premier Sports Cup Final can be played in its usual slot before Christmas, the quarter-finals will again take place on a weekend (September 20/21).

What goes into the mix for the fixtures?

There's a lot, particularly in the Premiership, which has the most constraints.