The draw for the first round and second rounds of this season’s SPFL Trust Trophy will take place at Hampden Park on Tuesday July 4 at 1.00pm.

The competition format for 2023/24 will be the same as was used for the 2022/23 SPFL Trust Trophy, which was won by Hamilton Academical in March.

The 30 cinch Championship, cinch League 1 and cinch League 2 clubs will be joined by the four cross-border clubs, plus four representatives each from the Highland League and Lowland League, and eleven cinch Premiership B Teams. The Highland League clubs are Brechin City, Buckie Thistle, Brora Rangers and Formartine United, whilst the Lowland League clubs will be Albion Rovers, University of Stirling, Tranent FC and East Kilbride.

The New Saints and Bala Town from the JD Cymru Premier League, and Cliftonville and Coleraine from the Sports Direct Premiership will participate in this year’s tournament.

SPFL TRUST TROPHY FORMAT FOR 2023/24

Round 1 (22 clubs – 11 ties) – Midweek of August 1/2

Seeded and regionalised (B teams kept apart)
11 current cinch Premiership B teams
Top four Highland League clubs from 2022/23
Top four Lowland League clubs from 2022/23
Clubs 8th-10th in cinch League 2 in 2022/23

Round 2 (20 clubs – 10 ties) – Midweek of August 15/16

Regionalised but not seeded
11 winners from Round 1
Clubs 1st-7th in cinch League 2 in 2022/23
Clubs 9th-10th in cinch League 1 in 2022/23

Round 3 (32 clubs – 16 ties) – Weekend of September 9/10

Not regionalised or seeded but cross-border clubs drawn against Scottish clubs
10 winners from Round 2
Clubs 1st-8th in cinch League 1 in 2022/23
Clubs 2nd-10th in cinch Championship in 2022/23
Club 12th in cinch Premiership in 2022/23
Four cross-border clubs (Bala Town, The New Saints, Cliftonville & Coleraine)

Round 4 (16 clubs – 8 ties) – Weekend of October 14/15

All-in-draw – no seeding

Quarter-finals – Weekend of November 18/19
Semi-finals – Weekend of February 3/4
Final – Weekend of March 23/24