Barclays Scottish Women’s Championship and League One Fixtures Out for the New Season

Scottish Women’s Football has today published fixtures for the Barclays Scottish Women’s Championship and League One, which get underway on Sunday 2 August 2026.

League One winners Elgin City will open their campaign by hosting the last team to achieve their back-to-back promotions to the third tier of women’s football in Scotland,  Forfar Farmington.

East Fife’s return to the Barclays Championship is marked by the visit of Morton and Stirling University visit Ayr United, while newly-promoted Dunipace will welcome Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Denny.

St Mirren missed out on promotion on the final day of last season, and will start their Barclays League One campaign with a visit to an Armadale Thistle side who will looking to bounce straight back up after their play-off defeat last month.

Newly promoted Huntly visit Dunfermline, Bishopton host Queen of the South and Edinburgh South host fellow promoted side Giffnock SC.

Both leagues commence with their full quota of 12 teams each, with the Barclays Championship winners earning the opportunity for promotion to SWPL2 and the runners-up entering a play-off, should both teams meet the criteria.

Likewise, the Barclays League One winners are promoted and runners-up entering a play-off with second bottom of the Championship, should both meet the criteria.

On the same opening day, SWFL teams will kick off their campaign with the group stages of the ScottishPower Regional League Cup, which as before is split into a regionalised group stage. There are a number of new senior sides introduced once again, a 23% net increase in senior women’s football teams in Scotland in just three years.

SWF also revealed plans to introduce sustainable expansion to the fourth tier, which at the end of the 2026/27 season will see the bottom two teams in League One relegated and all four regional champions from the SWFL promoted to form a 14-team league for the 2027/28 season.

Provided no teams withdraw or fold from the division, there will then be further expansion in subsequent years to build to a two-division fourth tier by 2030/31.

Commenting, Scottish Women’s Football CEO Aileen Campbell said: “After such a thrilling season in 2025/26, which saw most of our leagues go to the final day, we are thrilled to announce the fixtures for what promises to be the best season yet in the Scottish Women’s Football pyramid.

“This is the third year of our partnership with Barclays, during which time average attendances have grown in our national leagues, and I can’t wait to see what drama this season will reveal.

“We welcome back East Fife and Stirling University into the Barclays Championship, who will find it more competitive than ever. Giffnock return to Barclays League One, while Huntly, Bishopton and Edinburgh South will be testing themselves in national league football for the very first time.

“When consulting with our member clubs, they have been very clear that more teams wish to test themselves with the increased competition and travel of playing in a national league, which is why we have laid out plans to expand the fourth tier with the aim of reintroducing two divisions at this level. However, it’s vital this expansion must be sustainable, so it is reliant on clubs completing the season, offering pathways, fulfilling fixtures and continuing to provide opportunities for women and girls to play.”

Opening day fixtures in Barclays Championship and League One:

Barclays Scottish Women’s Championship;

Ayr United v Stirling University

Bonnyrigg Rose v Stenhousemuir

Dryburgh Athletic v Rossvale

Dunipace v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

East Fife v Morton

Egin City v Forfar Farmington

Barclays Scottish Women’s League One:

Airdrie CC v Westdyke

Armadale Thistle v St Mirren

Bishopton v Queen of the South

Cambusdoon v Inverurie Loco Works

Dunfermline Athletic v Huntly

Edinburgh South v Giffnock