Association football () is one of the national sports of Scotland and the most popular sport in the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite bearing the name "football" bear little resemblance to association football. Founded in 1873, Scotland has the second oldest national Football Association in the world (behind England's FA), and has various professional and amateur levels. The trophy for the national cup, the Scottish Cup is second oldest football cup competition (after the FA Cup and is the oldest national sporting trophy in the world. Scotland and Scottish football clubs hold many records for football attendances.
There has been debate as to whether Scotland is the traditional home of football, rather than England. The first game of international association football was played in Glasgow, and resulted in a 0–0 draw between Scotland and England. In respect of Scotland's footballing history, it is one of only four permanent members of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) which governs the Laws of the Game. The earliest record of football in Scotland dates from 1424 in an act of the Parliament of Scotland, whereby the King of Scotland, James I prohibited men from "playing at the football" and branded the game "decreed". Although the first reference to football in England dates back to 1314.
The national team play home matches at Hampden Park in Glasgow, and have appeared in nine FIFA World Cup competitions (the most recent being 2026) and four appearances at the UEFA European Championship (the most recent being 2024). Scotland also compete in the UEFA Nations League, and were in Group A for the 2024–25 instalment. For the 2026–27 tournament, Scotland will compete in Group B.
In 2025, the Scottish Premiership had the highest attendance per capita of any top-flight European football league for the third year in a row. The Scottish Football Association estimate over 470,000 registered players in football across the country.
Origins
A game known as "football" was played in Scotland as early as the 15th century. It was prohibited by the Football Act 1424, as it distracted men from their marital duties, and although the law fell into disuse, it was not repealed until 1906. The sport was played by commoners and royalty, such as King James VI and Mary, Queen of Scots, alike. In Perth, apprentices progressing to become master craftsmen in the 16th century had to pay for a banquet and a game of football.Michael Pearce, 'A French Furniture Maker and the 'Courtly Style' in Sixteenth-Century Scotland', Regional Furniture, XXXII (2018), p. 127.
There is evidence for schoolboys playing a "football" ball game in Aberdeen in 1633 (some references cite 1636) which is notable as an early allusion to what some have considered to be passing the ball. In the 1700s, Football was known to cause riots and severe damage to both property and players. Football in general had almost an ill repute. Football was mainly played during times of festival like New Years Day or Fastern's E'en. During these events, football was a "mass participant, low regulation event". There were also separate matches for men and women. Association Football's use as a leisure sport started in the 1840s as working schedules started to shift with the introduction of the half day work schedule on Saturdays. This search for "rational recreation" was brought upon by the temperance movement along with city municipal and philanthropic projects. By the late 1800s, Association Football was one of the major cultural activities among the male population of Western Scotland, both as player and as spectator. Railways helped with accessibility for travel to games in other cities, making a professional league viable. Of the thirty seven football grounds in existence in 1887, twenty of them were within one hundred yards of a railway station.
It is clear that the game was rough and tackles allowed included the "charging" and pushing/holding of opposing players ("drive that man back" in the original translation, "repelle eum" in original Latin). It has been suggested that this game bears similarities to rugby football. Contrary to media reports in 2006 there is no reference to forward passing, game rules, marking players or team formation. These reports described it as "an amazing new discovery" but has actually been well documented in football history literature since the early twentieth century and available on the internet since at least 2000.Marples, Morris, A History of Football, Secker and Warburg, London 1954]
Scottish Football Association The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is the principal organising body for Scottish football. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations. It was formed in March 1873, making it the World's second oldest national football association. The founding clubs were Queen's Park, Clydesdale, Vale of Leven, Dumbreck, Third Lanark, Eastern, Granville, and Kilmarnock.
The SFA is responsible for the operation of the Scotland national football team, the annual Scottish Cup and several other duties important to the functioning of the game in Scotland.
Cup competitions
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Cup is the world's oldest national cup but not the oldest competition, first contested in 1873 and being predated only by England's FA Cup. It is a pure knockout tournament with single matches, with replays being held if the first match is a tie. All 42 SPFL clubs automatically enter the tournament. A number of non-league clubs used to participate by virtue of having qualified through one of two regionalised qualifying cups (since 2007–08 they have qualified automatically for the First Round); or since 2007–08 by having won the Scottish Junior Cup or one of the three regionalised Junior leagues. The final is usually played at Hampden Park. The attendance of 146,433 for the 1937 Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden Park is a European record for a club match.
Scottish League Cup The Scottish League Cup is open to members of the SPFL and the Highland League and Lowland League champions. It has been contested since the 1946–47 season and was the first ever League Cup formed.
Scottish Challenge Cup The Scottish Challenge Cup is open to members of the SPFL clubs contesting in the Championship, League One & League Two and the top four clubs in the Highland League and Lowland League, and has been contested since the 1990–91 season. Since 2016–17 season all 12 Premiership Development teams have taken part in the competition along with teams from the Welsh Premier League and Northern Irish Premiership, with teams from the English National League joining in 2017–18 season.
Scottish Junior Cup The Scottish Junior Cup is contested by all members of the SJFA and has been competed for since the 1886–87 season. Currently, up to 132 teams are eligible to take part.
Scottish Amateur Cup The Scottish Amateur Cup is the principal competition for amateur clubs, competed for since 1909–10. Currently around 600 clubs enter.
Current Scottish national cup eligibility summary LevelLeague(s) Scottish Cup Scottish League Cup Scottish Challenge Cup Scottish Junior CupScottish Amateur Cup 1 SPFL Premiership Yes Yes No NoNo 2 SPFL Championship Yes 3 SPFL League One 4 SPFL League Two 5 Highland League League champions Runner-up from one league By invitation onlyLowland League EastLowland League West6Midlands LeagueLeague Champions Licensed ClubsNoScottish Junior FA members6North Caledonian League6–7North of Scotland Football League 6–9 East of Scotland League League Champions Licensed Clubs
Cup Winners' Shield holders6South of Scotland League6–10West of Scotland League Scottish Amateur FAScottish Amateur Cup winners NoYes Additional participantsScottish Junior Cup winners 12 x Premiership U21 teams Total clubs (2026–27)1264553108
European competitions
Three Scottish clubs have won UEFA competitions. Celtic won the 1967 European Cup Final, then lost the 1970 European Cup Final. The highest ever attendance for a UEFA competition match was in the 1969–70 European Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, Scotland's National stadium. A record 136,505 people attended that Cup semi-final played between Celtic and Leeds United.
Rangers won the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup final, and reached the finals of the same competition in 1961 and 1967, losing out both times. The most recent victory by a Scottish club in a European competition was when Aberdeen won the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup final and then won the consequent 1983 European Super Cup.
No Scottish club has won the UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League, although three have reached the final. Dundee United reached the 1987 final, and their fans won an award for their good behaviour from UEFA after their defeat to IFK Gothenburg. Celtic fans won a similar award after their team lost in extra time to FC Porto in the 2003 final. Rangers lost 2–0 to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2008 final. The most recent appearance by a Scottish club in a European final was when Rangers lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022 UEFA Europa League final.
National team
The Scottish national team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. The team has played international football longer than any other nation in the world along with England, whom they played in the world's first international football match at Hamilton Crescent, Partick, Glasgow in 1872. Scotland have qualified for eight World Cups and four European Championships, but have never progressed beyond the first round.
The majority of Scotland's home matches are played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, opened in 1903. The Scottish team have become famous for their travelling support, known as the Tartan Army, who have won awards from UEFA for their combination of vocal support, friendly nature and charity work. The attendance of 149,415 for the Scotland vs. England match of 1937 at Hampden Park is also a European record.
League
Professional league football in Scotland is run by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) comprising four tiers. The SPFL, along with the Scottish Highland Football League, Scottish Lowland Football League, East of Scotland League, South of Scotland League, West of Scotland League and the North Caledonian League were deemed to be "senior" and are administered by the Scottish Football Association. In 2014–15 season, a promotion and relegation scheme between the SPFL and the Highland and Lowland Leagues came into operation, as part of a gradual move towards building a comprehensive pyramid structure that now also incorporates the other senior leagues. Historically, "junior" clubs in the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) were administered separately, however in February 2025, the SJFA acknowledged the request of teams participating in the remaining junior leagues to become autonomous within the Scottish Football Association structure, and these leagues now sit within the same structure as the former "senior" leagues as the Midlands Football League and the North of Scotland Football League. The leagues affiliated to the Scottish Amateur Football Association remain outwith the pyramid system and continue to be administered separately. In 2014–15 season, a promotion and relegation scheme between the SPFL and the Highland and Lowland Leagues came into operation, as part of a gradual move towards building a comprehensive pyramid structure.
Rangers' record attendance of 118,567 is a British record for a league match.
Scottish Professional Football League