Fixtures for the upcoming domestic rugby season have today been released, with matches for the Arnold Clark Men’s and Women’s Premierships, alongside a full schedule of youth and adult rugby going live.
Schedules have been confirmed for the National Leagues 1, 2, 3 and 4, Regional Leagues 1, 2, and 3 and all Reserve Leagues as well as the inspiresport Boys’ competitions from U13 through to U18, Girls’ U16 and U18 competitions, and the Open Competition.
As attention turns to the new season, the fixture release recognises the efforts of the volunteers, coaches, match officials and club members who have helped deliver rugby across Scotland over the previous year. Their dedication remains central to the success of the game, ensuring thousands of matches have taken place from youth and school competitions through to the adult leagues.
Arnold Clark Men’s and Women’s Premiership opening weekend
The Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership gets underway with a full fixture list on Saturday 29 August, with all five matches kicking off at 3pm.
Reigning champions Ayr RFC begin the defence of their title at home to Watsonian FC, while newly-promoted Edinburgh Accies return to the top flight with a trip to take on Kelso RFC.
Elsewhere GHA RFC host Melrose, Currie Chieftains travel west to play Glasgow Hawks RFC and Heriot’s Rugby kick-off at home against Hawick RFC.
In the Arnold Clark Women’s Premiership, the reigning champions Stirling County RFC will play away at Cartha Queens Park RFC.
The Arnold Clark Women’s Premiership is continuing with the same format as last season, where every team will play each other once before heading to a split, where the top four teams will compete against each other and the bottom four will do the same.
The season will culminate with the top two teams from the upper section meeting in the Arnold Clark Women’s Premiership Final to determine the 2026-2027 champions.
New developments for 2026-2027
Alongside the release of the fixtures, a number of developments will feature across the domestic game during the upcoming season.
The top four teams from the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership will enter The Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage following the conclusion of the league competition, while the National League Cup will continue in its current format.
The Inter District Championship will take place within a dedicated November window and a Scotland Club XV home fixture against Ireland is planned during the Guinness Men’s Six Nations period.
A new Women’s National League has been established to provide a competitive environment for players and clubs aspiring to perform at the highest level of domestic rugby. This marks an exciting new chapter in the continued growth and development of the women’s game in Scotland.
Youth and schools competitions
The wider schools and youth competition landscape has been developed following consultation and engagement with schools and clubs. A refreshed Girls’ U16 and U18 competition is introduced to compliment the growth in the number of female players and teams.
As announced in April, following the pilot this year, the Open Competition has been expanded to include 12 environments. This reflects the growing strength and depth of school and youth rugby across Scotland, providing more teams with the opportunity to compete in challenging competitions.
It will get underway with the Boy’s U16 and U18 Open Competition kicking off on Saturday 29 August, with last season’s victors Strathallan School hosting Glenalmond College, alongside four other fixtures.
Vicky Cox, Head of Competitions & Compliance at Scottish Rugby, said: “While many clubs have just brought the the past season to a close, the release of fixtures is an exciting milestone and offers an opportunity to reflect on the dedication of those who make rugby happen.
“The 2026-2027 season will build on the positive momentum of the past year, including the continued growth of women’s and girls’ rugby and the ongoing development of competitions across the game.
“The programme, which has been shaped by engagement with clubs and stakeholders, provides a range of competitive opportunities for players of all ages and ambitions, while supporting the development and progression throughout the rugby pathway.”
The full list of fixtures for the 2026-2027 season is now live in the Club Rugby section of the Fixtures and Results tab on the Scottish Rugby website.
