Scottish Women's Premier League Cup Explained

Organiser:Scottish Women's Premier League
Founded:2002
Region: Scotland
Number Of Teams:17
Current Champions:Rangers (2024: 2nd title)
Most Successful Club:Hibernian (7 titles)
Broadcasters:Sky Sports
Current:2023–24 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup

The Scottish Women's Premier League Cup, currently known as the Sky Sports Cup due to sponsorship and commonly shortened to the SWPL Cup, is a league cup competition in women's football in Scotland. The cup is open only to the teams in the Scottish Women's Premier League. There are four rounds, including the final.

The competition was launched in 2002–03 along with the Scottish Women's Premier League, and the first winners were Kilmarnock. It supplanted the Scottish Women's Football League Cup (Kilmarnock were also its last winners) which continued as a lower-division competition.

The SWPL Cup changed to run on a summer schedule played in a single calendar year (from around March to November) from the 2009 edition[1] until the COVID-19 pandemic ended the 2020 season prematurely (leaving that year's edition unfinished) and caused the SWPL to revert to a winter format in all competitions for the following season, which was retained after pandemic restrictions ended.

The trophy has been won most often by Hibernian, seven times.

Format

Up to 2015, eight of the twelve Premier League teams were drawn to play in the first round. The four winners and the other four teams then played in the quarter-finals. All matches were played over one leg.[2]

Since the addition of the division SWPL 2 in 2016, all teams from the Premier League's two divisions have taken part in the cup. The last edition with the straight-knockout format was the 2019 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup

In a large change to the format for the 2020 edition of the Cup, a 16-team group stage was inaugurated, planned to qualify teams for the eight-team knockout phase, with the League's top two clubs given a bye to the quarter-finals; but the SWPL was abandoned early in the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the League reverted to the winter format as a result. The league cup was not played in the 2020–21 season. The group phase was played with all clubs in the 2021–22 SWPL Cup,[3] which was completed and won by Celtic.

Past winners

Previous finals are:

YearWinnerResultRunner UpVenueRef
2002–03Kilmarnock2–0Glasgow City[4]
2003–04Kilmarnock3–1Glasgow City
2004–05Hibernian6–1Raith Rovers[5]
2005–06Kilmarnock3–2Glasgow CityStark's Park[6]
2006–07Edinburgh4–1Hibernian[7]
2007–08Hibernian4–0Queen's Park Ladies[8] [9] [10]
2008–09Glasgow City3–0SpartansForthbank Stadium[11] [12] [13]
2009Glasgow City3–1Hibernian[14] [15] [16]
2010Celtic4–1SpartansAinslie Park[17] [18] [19]
2011Hibernian5–2SpartansRecreation Park[20] [21]
2012Glasgow City5–1SpartansRecreation Park[22] [23]
2013Glasgow City5–0SpartansRecreation Park[24] [25]
2014Glasgow City3–0HibernianAinslie Park[26] [27]
2015Glasgow City2–1 (a.e.t.)HibernianAinslie Park[28]
2016Hibernian2–1Glasgow CityAinslie Park[29]
2017Hibernian4–1CelticBroadwood Stadium[30]
2018Hibernian9–0Celtic[31]
2019Hibernian0–0 (a.e.t.)
4–2 (pen.)		Glasgow City[32]
2020Unfinished due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.
2020 - 21Not played.
2021–22Celtic1–0Glasgow City[33]
2022–23RangersHibernian[34]
2023–24RangersPartick ThistleTynecastle Park[35]

List of winners

TitlesTeam
7Hibernian
6Glasgow City
3Kilmarnock
2Celtic
2Rangers
1Spartans (as Edinburgh)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: England coach Hope Powell calls for women's game to switch to summer . Leighton . Tony . 19 December 2010 . . 28 August 2011.
  2. Web site: Scottish Premier League Cup draw. shekicks.net. 29 July 2014. 2 February 2014.
  3. Web site: SWPL CUP 2021 . Soccerway .
  4. Web site: Kilmarnock women on course for double treble dominance . . 25 May 2019 . 5 May 2003.
  5. https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot-wom05.html Scotland (Women) 2004/05
  6. Web site: Killie show City team who's boss . KillieFC.com . 15 September 2017 . 14 May 2006 . dead . https://archive.today/20140407141127/http://www.killiefc.com/Season%202005-06/FCKilmarnock/MatchReports/060514-SWPLCFinal/report.htm . 7 April 2014 .
  7. http://www.spartansfcwomen.com/Spartans%20Archive/Match%20Reports%20OTHERS/ELFC%20v%20Hibs%2018%20nov%2006%20LCupFinal.html Match Reports :- Edinburgh Ladies FC v Hibernian Ladies FC - S.W.P.L. Cup Final
  8. Web site: 2007-08 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  9. Web site: Hibernian v Queens' Park - Premier League Cup Final. 11 November 2007. 15 September 2017. Spartans W.F.C.. Match report archives.
  10. Web site: Match Report . The Pink . 15 September 2017 . 10 November 2007 . Gavin Madeley . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120313080837/http://www.thepink.org.uk/Match%20Reports/Hibernian%20LFC%20v%20Queens%20Park.htm . 13 March 2012 .
  11. Web site: 2008-09 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  12. http://www.spartansfcwomen.com/Spartans%20Archive/Match%20Reports%20OTHERS/Glasgow%20City%20v%20Spartans%2008%20nov%2008%20SWPL%20Cup%20Final.html Match Reports :- Glasgow City v Spartans - SWPL Cup Final
  13. http://www.glasgowcityladiesfc.co.uk/GlasgowCityFCLiftPremierLeagueCup.htm City lift Premier League Cup
  14. Web site: 2009 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  15. https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot-wom09a.html#plcup09 Scotland (Women) 2009
  16. http://www.glasgowcityladiesfc.co.uk/GlasgowCityFCliftPremierLeagueCup09.htm City lift Premier League Cup
  17. Web site: 2010 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  18. News: Celtic secure women's League Cup. 13 May 2010. 15 September 2017. BBC Sport.
  19. Web site: Celtic break trophy duck in style . WSS . 13 May 2010 . 15 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423054108/http://www.womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2009-2010/100513-06.htm. 23 April 2016.
  20. Web site: 2011 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvLoledmOZw Spartans - Premier League Cup Final 25/05/11
  22. Web site: 2012 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 24 November 2012.
  23. Web site: Glasgow City defeat Spartans to win the Scottish Premier League Cup. 31 May 2012. 15 September 2017. Spartans W.F.C..
  24. Web site: 2013 Premier League Cup Final . www.scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association . 30 May 2013.
  25. http://www.spartansfcwomen.com/Spartans%20Archive/Match%20Reports%20and%20Photos%20WEB/Glasgow%20City%20v%20Spartans%2029%20May%202013/Report.html City Surge To Cup Final Victory
  26. Web site: Glasgow City win third successive League Cup final. www.scotzine.com. 11 July 2014. 29 May 2014.
  27. Web site: glasgow city win third successive league cup final. May 28, 2014. bbc.co.uk. BBC. October 27, 2022. Glasgow City won the Scottish Women's League Cup.
  28. Web site: Glasgow City retain League Cup with extra-time win over Hibernian . BBC Sport . 3 June 2015 . 4 June 2015.
  29. Web site: 2016 SWPL Cup Final - Hibernian 2-1 Glasgow City: Lizzie Arnot's late goal shocks the holders . . 16 June 2016 . 15 September 2017.
  30. Web site: SWPL Cup: Hibernian cruise to victory over Celtic to retain trophy . Andrew . Southwick . BBC Sport . 21 May 2017 . 21 May 2017.
  31. Web site: SWPL: Hibernian thrash Celtic 9-0 to win third Women's Premier League Cup in a row . Andrew . Southwick . BBC Sport . 20 May 2018 . 20 May 2018.
  32. Web site: Hibernian 0-0 Glasgow City: Hibs retain SWPL Cup 4-2 on penalties . BBC Sport . 10 May 2019 . 10 May 2019.
  33. Web site: SWPL Cup: Celtic beat Glasgow City to win first silverware since 2010. . 6 December 2021 . 5 December 2021.
  34. Web site: Sky Sports Cup final - Rangers 2-0 Hibernian: Lizzie Arnot scores screamer and Kirsty Howat adds second to seal victory. December 11, 2022. skysports.com. Sky Sports. December 15, 2022. Rangers win the first domestic trophy of the Scottish women's season with a 2-0 victory against seven-time champions Hibernian.
  35. Web site: Rangers Women 4-1 Partick Thistle Women: Jo Potter's side retain Sky Sports Cup with comfortable win at Tynecastle. March 25, 2024. skysports.com. Sky Sports. March 28, 2024. In front of over 4,000 spectators at Tynecastle - a record for the Sky Sports Cup final .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Scottish Women's Premier League Cup".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.