Hearts face Dunfermline in League Cup – full draw

In the 2025-26 League Cup group stage, Derek McInnes’ Heart of Midlothian will take on Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline.

In the first round of the competition, Hamilton, Dumbarton, and Stirling Albion were all drawn against the Pars, which was managed by the former Celtic and Hibernian boss.

In the final 16 of the League Cup’s final 16 last year, Hearts fell to Championship side Falkirk, who had not won since 1962-63.

Along with Kelty Hearts, East Fife, and Brora Rangers, two Scottish Premiership teams, Kilmarnock and recently promoted Livingston, are in Group H.

St. Mirren, the only team from the top six of the Scottish Premiership table at this time, is Scott Brown’s Ayr United team in Group D.

Due to their competitiveness in Europe, Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian, Dundee United, and Aberdeen are exempt from the group stage.

Eight pools were divided up for the draw, including the Premiership’s four teams, the Lowland League’s Brora Rangers, the Highland League’s top team, and Brechin City, the Highland League’s runners-up.

The matches will begin on July 12/13 with further fixtures on July 15/16, 19/20, 22/23 and 26/27.

On the weekend of August 16/17, the team that tops each pool and the three best runners-up will be joined by the teams from Europe in the last 16.

The quarter-finals will take place on September 20/21, the semi-finals on November 1 and the final on Sunday, December 14 at Hampden.

Group A

Queen’s Park, Cove Rangers, Spartans, Brechin, Queen’s Park, Falkirk.

Group B

Ross County, Partick Thistle, Edinburgh City, Stranraer, Queen of the South, and Partick Thistle are just a few examples.

Group C

Dundee, Airdrie, Alloa, Montrose, and Bonnyrigg Rose are all in.

Group D

Forfar, Arbroath, Arbroath, St. Mirren, Ayr United, Arbroath, Annan Athletic, and Ayr United.

Group E

Dunfermline, Hamilton, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Hearts.

Group F

Inverness CT, Elgin City, East Kilbride, Rovers of Raith, St. Johnstone, and Rovers of Raith.

Group G

Motherwell, Greenock Morton, Peterhead, Clyde, Stenhousemuir, and others.

Group H