SPFL ANNOUNCES POTS AND SEEDINGS FOR 2017 BETFRED CUP GROUP STAGE AHEAD OF LIVE BT SPORT DRAW

Wednesday 31st May, 2017 at 1:28pm

The SPFL is pleased to announce the seeding pots and numbers for this Friday’s 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw.

The draw will be conducted live on BT Sport 2 at 6.30pm this Friday (2 June), as well as being streamed live and free-to-view on BT Sport’s Facebook page and Twitter feed, with the live stream shared by the SPFL’s own social media channels.

The draw comprises 40 clubs: the 38 SPFL clubs not participating in European competitions plus East Kilbride (Lowland League champions) and Buckie Thistle (Highland League champions).

The format of the 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw is as follows:

The draw will produce eight groups of five teams on a regionalised basis – four ‘North’ groups and four ‘South’ groups.
All eight groups will be made up of one first seed, one second seed and three unseeded clubs.
Prior to the draw the 40 participating teams are placed into one of three pots based on league positions at the end of season 2016/17 – eight first seeds, eight second seeds and 24 unseeded teams. Each of the pots is then individually split into two equal halves: North and South
- Eight first seeds = Four North and four South;
- Eight second seeds = Four North and four South;
- 24 unseeded = 12 North and South

The 2017 Betfred Cup will kick off another season of Scottish football and follows a hugely successful first year in the competition’s unique format which saw a number of innovations introduced.

The Group Stage draw sees the 40 participating clubs scheduled to play four games across five match dates – 15 July, 19 July, 22 July, 26 July and 29 July (subject to broadcast selections).

The format, announced in advance of the 2016 Betfred Cup, sees all drawn Group Stage matches go straight to a penalty shoot-out with the winners earning an extra ‘bonus point’ in addition to the traditional point given for a draw.

The eight group winners and four best runners-up progress to the last 16 where they are joined by holders Celtic and fellow European representatives Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone.

The seeding pots and draw numbers are as follows:

It is anticipated that, following Friday’s evening’s 2017 Betfred Cup Group Stage draw, the Group Stage fixture list and TV selections will be published week commencing Monday, 5 June.

For all the latest Betfred Cup information including fixture dates visit spfl.co.uk/betfred-cup/

You can follow the draw live at 6:30pm on Friday via the SPFL’s social media channels: