The Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership will kick off on Saturday 23 August while the Women’s Premiership will begin the week prior (Saturday 16 August). This earlier start allows players the opportunity to travel and support Scotland in their opening Rugby World Cup fixture on Saturday 23 August.  

The change in the Men’s Premiership start date follows feedback gathered during consultations with the male adult game in February and March, where adjusting the season’s opening weekend emerged as a key theme. Some regional leagues will also begin on this revised date, while others, along with National League Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 4, will start the following week.  

Reigning Men’s Premiership champions Ayr will kick off their title defence at home against Glasgow Hawks. Women’s Premiership title holders Corstorphine Cougars will open their campaign away to newly promoted Biggar. 

Inspiresport Youth club fixtures have also been confirmed, whilst Schools fixtures were shared directly with the schools in April.  

While the women’s rugby calendar is largely unchanged, the adult male competitions will see changes implemented. These include scheduled playing breaks across several leagues, and a shutdown period from mid-December 2025 until January 10, 2026. 

Scottish Rugby Head of Competitions and Compliance, Vicky Cox, said: “The voices of those who submitted feedback throughout February and March have been heard loud and clear, and the coming domestic season has been shaped accordingly. 

“Weather will always pose challenges – it remains the one element we can’t control. However, by identifying patterns and combining these with the feedback we’ve received, we are able to take a more proactive approach, building in scheduled pauses during periods when severe weather is most likely. 

“We will also have a break during the key Guinness Men’s Six Nations home fixtures, as has become tradition in recent years. 

“This doesn’t signify the end of the changes from the feedback we received. We’re using that information to inform our discussions and planning to continue to consult on practical, player-friendly, and sustainable changes to future seasons too.”  

The men’s league competitions will once again run concurrently with the Scottish Cup, National League Cup, Shield and Bowl competitions, and the Inter-District Championships will return after its hiatus in season 2024/25. Two rounds of the tournament will be played in the earlier part of the season, with the final round scheduled for February.  

This season’s structure is the result of a broad consultation process and reflects a consensus-driven compromise designed to benefit the wider game, while remaining open to future review.  

The full list of fixtures for the 2025/2026 season is now live in the Club Rugby section of the Fixtures and Results tab on the Scottish Rugby website.  

Premiership broadcast details will be announced shortly, with an exciting package that will look to build in some popular Friday evening matchups.