The 2021–22 Scottish League Cup group stage was played from 9 July 2021 to 25 July 2021. A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage. The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the three best runners-up progressed to the second round (last 16) of the 2021–22 Scottish League Cup.
Format The group stage consists of eight groups of five teams. The five clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League (Rangers and Celtic), Europa League (St Johnstone) and Europa Conference League (Hibernian and Aberdeen) qualifying rounds are given a bye through to the second round. The 40 teams taking part in the group stage consist of the other seven teams that competed in the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership, and all of the teams that competed in the 2020–21 Scottish Championship, 2020–21 Scottish League One and 2020–21 Scottish League Two, as well as the 2020–21 Highland Football League champions and the 2020–21 Lowland Football League champions and runners-up.
The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the three best runners-up, progress to the second round (last 16), which includes the five UEFA qualifying clubs. At this stage, the competition reverts to the traditional knock-out format. The three group winners with the highest points total and the clubs entering at this stage will be seeded, with the five group winners with the lowest points unseeded along with the three best runners-up.
The traditional point system of awarding three points for a win and one point for a draw is used, however, for each group stage match that finishes in a draw, a penalty shoot-out will take place, with the winner being awarded a bonus point.
The draw for the group stage took place on 28 May 2021 and was broadcast live on FreeSports & the SPFL YouTube channel.
Teams North Seeding Teams in Bold qualified for the second round. Top seedsSecond seedsUnseeded01. Livingston 02. Dundee United 03. Ross County 04. Heart of Midlothian05. Dundee 06. Raith Rovers 07. Inverness Caledonian Thistle 08. Arbroath09. Alloa Athletic 10. Cove Rangers 11. Montrose 12. East Fife 13. Peterhead 14. Forfar Athletic
15. Elgin City 16. Stirling Albion 17. Cowdenbeath 18. Brechin City 19. Brora Rangers 20. Kelty Hearts Source:
South Seeding Teams in Bold qualified for the second round. Top seedsSecond seedsUnseeded21. St Mirren 22. Motherwell 23. Kilmarnock 24. Hamilton Academical25. Dunfermline Athletic 26. Queen of the South 27. Ayr United 28. Greenock Morton29. Partick Thistle 30. Airdrieonians 31. Falkirk 32. Clyde 33. Dumbarton 34. Queen's Park
35. Edinburgh City 36. Stranraer 37. Stenhousemuir 38. Albion Rovers 39. Annan Athletic 40. East Kilbride Source:
North
Group A
Matches
Group B
Matches
Group C
Matches
Notes
Group D
Matches
South
Group E
Matches
Notes
Group F
Matches
Group G
Matches
Notes
Group H
Matches
Notes
Best runners-up
Qualified teams TeamQualified asQualified onNotesHeart of MidlothianGroup A winner20 July 2021Dundee UnitedGroup B winner20 July 2021Seeded for second round drawAyr UnitedGroup E winner22 July 2021DundeeGroup C winner24 July 2021Seeded for second round drawRaith RoversGroup D winner24 July 2021MotherwellGroup F winner24 July 2021KilmarnockGroup G winner24 July 2021ArbroathBest runner-up24 July 2021Dunfermline AthleticBest runner-up24 July 2021LivingstonBest runner-up24 July 2021St MirrenGroup H winner25 July 2021Seeded for second round draw
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Ally RoyQueen of the South62 Nathan AustinKelty Hearts4 Brian GrahamPartick Thistle4 Liam BuchananCowdenbeath3 Jason CummingsDundee Lawrence ShanklandDundee United Kevin O'HaraDunfermline Athletic Nikolay TodorovDunfermline Athletic Craig WightonDunfermline Athletic Liam BoyceHeart of Midlothian
Source:
References