French
Deutsch2024–25 South Challenge Cup
| SFA South Region Challenge Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country | Scotland England (2 teams) |
| Dates | 17 August 2024 – 30 March 2025 |
| Teams | 163 |
| Defending champions | East Kilbride |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 34 |
| Goals scored | 138 (4.06 per match) |
All statistics correct as of 17 August 2024. | |
The 2024–25 SFA South Region Challenge Cup (known as the CarMatKings South Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons)[1] is the 18th edition of the annual knockout cup competition for senior non-league football clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. For a third season in a row, the tournament entry is a joint record 163 teams.
The defending champions are four-time winners East Kilbride.
Format
[edit]The South Challenge Cup features 163 senior non-league clubs from the Lowland Football League (16), East of Scotland Football League (57), South of Scotland Football League (11), and West of Scotland Football League (79). The reserve teams of Stirling University and Stranraer, as well as Celtic B and Heart of Midlothian B, do not take part. Carluke Rovers are debarred due to a previous breach of rules.
In a change to previous seasons there is no regionalisation and it is an all-in draw from the first round.[2] The draws are unseeded, with matches proceeding to extra time and penalties if they are tied after 90 minutes.
Calendar
[edit]| Round | Main date[3] | Fixtures | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | 17 August 2024 | 35 | 163 → 128 |
| Second Round | 14 September 2024 | 64 | 128 → 64 |
| Third Round | 12 October 2024 | 32 | 64 → 32 |
| Fourth Round | 16 November 2024 | 16 | 32 → 16 |
| Fifth Round | 21 December 2024 | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarter-Finals | 1 February 2025 | 4 | 8 → 4 |
| Semi-Finals | 1 March 2025 | 2 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | 30 March 2025 | 1 | 2 → 1 |
First round
[edit]The first round draw was published on 11 July 2024.[4][5]
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ^ Venue reversed after original draw.
Second Round
[edit]The second round draw was published on 11 July 2024.[6][5] Remaining in the competition are 128 clubs, from the Lowland Football League (13), East of Scotland Football League (42), South of Scotland Football League (7), and West of Scotland Football League (66).
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ @SouthChallenge (August 14, 2024). "The #CarMatKings South Challenge Cup gets underway this weekend with our first non regionalised first round" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @SouthChallenge (June 25, 2024). "🚨Announcement🚨" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "The Scottish Lowland Football League Season 2024-25 Fixture List" (PDF). Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ @SouthChallenge (July 11, 2024). "First Round Draw" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "South Challenge Cup 24-25". Scottish Football Fixtures. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ @SouthChallenge (July 11, 2024). "Second Round Draw" (Tweet) – via Twitter.