The 2020–21 Scottish Cup was the 136th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The tournament did not have a sponsor, after William Hill's nine-year partnership with the Scottish FA came to an end following the 2019–20 tournament.
This was the second season in which a match from every round of the tournament proper was broadcast live via TV partners Premier Sports and BBC Scotland, with one match in the first and second rounds being shown live on the BBC Scotland channel for the second time.
The defending champions were Celtic, who won the 2020 Scottish Cup Final on 20 December 2020. Celtic lost to their Old Firm rivals Rangers in the fourth round, which was their first defeat in the competition since 2015–16.
St Johnstone were the winners of the Scottish Cup, beating Hibernian 1–0 in the final on 22 May to complete a historic cup Double, becoming only the 2nd ever team outside of the Old Firm to do so since Aberdeen in the 1989–90 season.
Calendar The calendar for the 2020–21 Scottish Cup, as announced by Scottish Football Association on 27 October 2020. On 11 January 2021, the competition was suspended by the Scottish FA due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. On 3 March 2021, new dates for the competition were announced.
The format featured several changes from the previous season because of the increased number of eligible clubs and the tournament's compressed schedule. Due to the potential for fixture congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic, replays were not played during the 2020–21 competition.
Round Original date Number of fixtures Clubs New Entries Leagues entering at this round Preliminary round one 28 November 2020 2 100 → 98 26 Preliminary round two 12 December 2020 26 98 → 72 28 14 Highland League teams14 Lowland League teams First round 26 December 2020 20 72 → 52 14 2 Highland League teams2 Lowland League teams10 League Two teams Second round 9 January 2021 20 52 → 32 20 10 Championship 10 League One teams Third round 30 January 3 April 2021 16 32 → 16 12 12 Premiership teams Fourth round 20 February 17 April 2021 8 16 → 8 None Quarter-finals 13 March 24 April 2021 4 8 → 4 None Semi-finals 10 April 8 May 2021 2 4 → 2 None Final 8 May 22 May 2021 1 2 → 1 None
Preliminary rounds
Preliminary round one The first preliminary round took place on the weekend of 28 November 2020. There were 26 entries at this stage - 20 from the East of Scotland Football League, 4 from the South of Scotland Football League, 1 from the West of Scotland Football League and 1 from the SJFA North Region. 22 clubs with a valid club licence received a bye to the next round.
Dunipace, Haddington Athletic, Newtongrange Star, and Tranent Juniors took part in the Scottish Cup for the first time having each gained their Club Licence, along with Musselburgh Athletic who made their debut as 2019–20 South & East Cup-Winners Shield winners.
Auchinleck Talbot, Burntisland Shipyard, Girvan, and Golspie Sutherland withdrew from the competition after the initial format was announced.
Clubs marked ‡ were ineligible for a bye to the second preliminary round.
Draw East of Scotland LeagueSouth of Scotland LeagueWest of Scotland LeagueOthersBlackburn United Broxburn Athletic Camelon Juniors Coldstream Dundonald Bluebell Dunipace Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Haddington Athletic Hawick Royal Albert United Hill of Beath Hawthorn Jeanfield Swifts Linlithgow Rose Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Musselburgh Athletic ‡ Newtongrange Star Penicuik Athletic Preston Athletic Tranent Juniors Tynecastle Whitehill WelfareNewton Stewart St Cuthbert Wanderers Threave Rovers Wigtown & BladnochGlasgow UniversitySJFA North Region Banks O' Dee
Banks O' Dee, Blackburn United, Broxburn Athletic, Camelon Juniors, Coldstream, Dundonald Bluebell, Dunipace, Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare, Glasgow University, Haddington Athletic, Hawick Royal Albert United, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Jeanfield Swifts, Linlithgow Rose, Newton Stewart, Newtongrange Star, Preston Athletic, Threave Rovers, Tranent Juniors, Tynecastle, Whitehill Welfare and Wigtown & Bladnoch received a bye to the second preliminary round.
Matches
Preliminary round two The second preliminary round took place on the weekend of 12 December 2020. Along with the two winners from the first preliminary round and 22 teams with byes, there were 28 new entries at this stage - 14 from the Highland Football League and 14 from the Lowland Football League.
Forres Mechanics and Gretna 2008 withdrew from the competition after the initial format was announced.
Draw Teams in Italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the first round.
Highland LeagueLowland LeagueEast of Scotland LeagueOtherBuckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Deveronvale Formartine United Fort William Huntly Inverurie Loco Works Keith Lossiemouth Nairn County Rothes Strathspey Thistle Turriff United Wick AcademyBerwick Rangers Bo'ness United BSC Glasgow Caledonian Braves Civil Service Strollers Cumbernauld Colts Dalbeattie Star East Kilbride East Stirlingshire Edinburgh University Gala Fairydean Rovers The Spartans University of Stirling Vale of LeithenBlackburn United Broxburn Athletic Camelon Juniors Coldstream Dundonald Bluebell Dunipace Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Haddington Athletic Hawick Royal Albert United Hill of Beath Hawthorn Jeanfield Swifts Linlithgow Rose Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Musselburgh Athletic Newtongrange Star Preston Athletic Tranent Juniors Tynecastle Whitehill WelfareSouth of Scotland League Newton Stewart Threave Rovers Wigtown & Bladnoch West of Scotland League Glasgow University SJFA North Region Banks O' Dee
Matches
First round The first round took place on the weekend of 26 December 2020. Along with the 26 winners from the second preliminary round, there were 14 new entries at this stage - two from the Highland Football League (Brora Rangers and Fraserburgh), two from the Lowland Football League (Kelty Hearts and Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic) and all 10 teams from League Two.
Draw The draw for the first round took place on Sunday 13 December 2020 at 10am live on the Scottish Cup YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Teams in Italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in bold advanced to the second round.
League TwoHighland LeagueLowland LeagueEast of Scotland LeagueSJFA North RegionAlbion Rovers Annan Athletic Brechin City Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City Elgin City Queen's Park Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion StranraerBrora Rangers Buckie Thistle Formartine United Fraserburgh Huntly Keith Nairn County Rothes Wick AcademyBerwick Rangers Bo'ness United Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Caledonian Braves Civil Service Strollers Cumbernauld Colts East Stirlingshire Gala Fairydean Rovers Kelty Hearts The SpartansBroxburn Athletic Camelon Juniors Dundonald Bluebell Haddington Athletic Hill of Beath Hawthorn Jeanfield Swifts Linlithgow Rose Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Preston Athletic Tranent JuniorsBanks O'Dee
Matches
Replay
Second round The second round was scheduled to take place on the weekend of 9 January 2021, however a number of matches were postponed following freezing temperatures. Along with the 20 winners from the first round, there were 20 new entries at this stage - all 10 teams from League One and the Championship.
Draw The draw for the second round took place on Monday 28 December 2020 at 7:15pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Teams in Italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in bold advanced to the third round.
ChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoOtherAlloa Athletic Arbroath Ayr United Dundee Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Heart of Midlothian Inverness Caledonian Thistle Queen of the South Raith RoversAirdrieonians Clyde Cove Rangers Dumbarton East Fife Falkirk Forfar Athletic Montrose Partick Thistle PeterheadAnnan Athletic Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City Elgin City Queen's Park Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion StranraerHighland League Brora Rangers Buckie Thistle Formartine United Fraserburgh Huntly Keith Nairn County Lowland League Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Kelty Hearts East of Scotland League Linlithgow Rose Tranent Juniors SJFA North Region Banks O'Dee
Matches
Postponed ties On 11 January 2021, the Scottish FA announced that competitions below the Championship would be suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. As a result, the remaining second round ties were postponed. The remaining matches took place on 23 March 2021.
Third round The third round was originally scheduled to take place on the weekend of 30 January 2021 but instead took place in April 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. Along with the 20 winners from the second round, there were 12 new entries at this stage - all from the Premiership.
Draw The draw for the third round took place on Sunday 10 January 2021 at 11am live on the Scottish Cup YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Teams in Italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in bold advanced to the fourth round.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoOtherAberdeen Celtic Dundee United Hamilton Academical Hibernian Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers Ross County St Johnstone St MirrenAyr United Dundee Greenock Morton Inverness Caledonian Thistle Queen of the South Raith RoversClyde Cove Rangers Dumbarton East Fife Falkirk Forfar Athletic Montrose Partick ThistleEdinburgh City Stenhousemuir StranraerHighland League Brora Rangers Formartine United Fraserburgh
Matches
Fourth round The fourth round took place on the weekend of 17 April 2021.
Draw The draw for the fourth round took place on Sunday 4 April 2021 at 2pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Teams in Italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in Bold advanced to the quarter-finals.
PremiershipChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoAberdeen Celtic Dundee United Hibernian Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers St Johnstone St MirrenGreenock Morton Inverness Caledonian ThistleClyde Forfar Athletic MontroseStranraer
Matches Following the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the fourth round matches were rearranged to avoid clashing with his funeral on 17 April 2021.
Quarter-finals The quarter-finals took place on the weekend of 24 April 2021.
Draw The draw for the quarter-finals took place on Sunday 4 April 2021 at 2pm live on the Scottish Cup YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Matches
Semi-finals The semi-finals took place at Hampden Park on the weekend of 8 May 2021.
Draw The draw for the semi-finals took place on Monday 26 April 2021 live on BBC Scotland following the Kilmarnock v St Mirren tie. Teams in Bold advanced to the final.
Dundee United Hibernian St Johnstone St Mirren
Matches
Final
The final was played on 22 May 2021 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Originally it was scheduled for 8 May 2021 but was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Broadcasting The Scottish Cup was broadcast by Premier Sports and BBC Scotland. Premier Sports had the first 2 picks of Round 3 and Round 4, the quarter-finals as well as first pick of one semi-final and aired the final non-exclusively. BBC Scotland broadcast one match per round from the first round and two matches per round from the second round to the quarter-finals, as well as one semi-final and the final.
The following matches were broadcast live on UK television: