SPFL bosses give Challenge Cup biggest redesign yet with new name, Uefa style league phase and 15-year-olds set to play
ALL CHANGE SPFL bosses give Challenge Cup biggest redesign yet with new name, Uefa style league phase and 15-year-olds set to play
IT'S had more facelifts than Sharon Osborne and Simon Cowell put together.
And now the SPFL have announced the latest cosmetic redesign to the Challenge Cup which they think will give it the X Factor.
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The new branding for the trophy
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The rule makers at Hampden have made a major change to the competition
Credit: SNS
League bosses say that as of 2025-26 the competition last known as the SPFL Trust trophy will now be sponsored by the KDM Group and go by the KDM Evolution Trophy.
They say they've announced a multi-year deal with the Scottish-born construction firm and have thanked them for bankrolling a record-breaking prize pot totalling an estimated £1.25m in prize money - a rise of more than 50% on last year's competition.
Next season's winners will receive £150,000, plus a new - as yet to be unveiled - trophy.
And there's also set to be MAJOR competition format changes - which were confirmed earlier in the year alongside a new Scottish FA co-operation system apparently designed to help youth development in the Scottish game.
They say that TEN Scottish Premiership B teams will enter a new 'Uefa-style' league phase - although what happens to the other two teams isn't entirely clear.
They also say that youth prospects aged jst 15 will now be eligible to participate in the competition.
In total, the first round league phase will comprise 10 William Hill League 1 clubs, 10 William Hill League 2 clubs, and 10 William Hill Premiership B-teams.
The B teams will play all their matches in the league phase away from home, in a move the SPFL say is designed to reduce travel costs, with trialists permitted to play in these matches.
Clubs participating at this phase will be split into three pots by division and regionalised into North and South sections, but will feed into a single league table with with the top 22 clubs qualifying.
The ten William Hill Championship clubs will then enter the competition as seeds - with the remainder of the competition following a traditional knockout format.
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SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: 'We are really pleased to welcome KDM Group as the title sponsor for the KDM Evolution Trophy from season 2025/26, and to announce a significant rise in prize money for next season's competition.
'KDM Group is a highly-respected and well-established firm in Scotland, the UK and beyond, and have already demonstrated a passion for Scottish football.
"They have a proud history of supporting our national sport and this long-term deal is really positive news for all 42 member clubs.
'We're confident the new competition format will help develop some of our most promising players across the country. Allowing players to compete at a high level from the age of 15 will pay dividends for them, for their clubs and ultimately, for the national side.'
Doncaster added: 'We've had long discussions with our member clubs and the Scottish FA about this new competition format and we've also introduced some key principles to reduce travel time and costs, particularly for William Hill League 1 and 2 clubs.
'We would lastly like to thank the SPFL Trust and the donors who support them, who have been fantastic supporters of this competition for the last four seasons.'
The Lowdown: the KDM Evolution Trophy
The full schedule of prize monies for the KDM Evolution Trophy is set out below:
Winner - £150,000
Runner up - £100,000
Losing semi-finalists - £75,000
Losing quarter-finalists - £50,000
Round of 16 losers - £40,000
Round of 32 losers - £30,000
1st round (league phase)losers - £15,000-18,500(depending on final league position)
A summary of key competition dates is set out below:
League Phase MD1: 12/13 August 2025
League Phase MD2: 26/27 August 2025
League Phase MD3: 6/7 September 2025
League Phase MD4: 23/24 September 2025
League Phase MD5: 11/12 October 2025
League Phase MD6: 11 November 2025
Round of 32: 9/10 December 2025
Round of 16: 6/7 January 2026
Quarter Final: 27/28 January 2026
Semi Final: 24/25 February 2026
Final: 28/29 March 2026 / 4/5 April 2026
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